There’s one leaderboard that the W franchises surely hope to never top: the injury report. And currently, the Sky is leading the league in that stat with four players sidelined. It started when Courtney Vandersloot’s season came to a halt, followed by Michaela Onyenwere and Ariel Atkins, and now, the latest blow, Angel Reese. With that, Chicago just surpassed the Wings, who have been nursing a cluster of injuries themselves, but they are currently sitting at “only” three.

The worrying news hit as the league’s defensive leader, and Chicago’s very own Angel Reese, didn’t come out from the tunnel in uniform vs. the Seattle Storm. However, with no official status update early on, people still held out hopes that she would suit up. Only until the twists started piling up. First, Angel Reese was listed as questionable after missing the morning shootaround. Then, a few hours later, the franchise officially ruled her out with a lingering back issue. All of it came as a shock because she appeared physically fine in her last outing. She had posted 11 points and 11 rebounds against the Lynx.

If you’re a Sky fan, we know that you are probably clutching your gut in anticipation, praying for some good news. Especially with Chicago set to face the Fever on Sunday. It’s a much-anticipated matchup that might (if the stars align) feature Caitlin Clark. But don’t get your hopes too high. Even if Clark makes the improbable return, Angel Reese’s status casts a long shadow. As the head coach Tyler Marsh summed it up after a crushing 95-57 loss: “Angel is day-to-day. Pretty sore this morning and didn’t want to mess with it being a back issue. We’ll see how she is on Sunday.”

However, if there’s one thing that history shows, it’s that Angel Reese doesn’t stay down for too long. Moreover, this isn’t her first encounter with the injuries. Just last season, she suffered a hairline wrist fracture during a game against LA. That injury cut her rookie campaign short. It even required surgery, and forced her into a hard cast for four weeks, then a soft cast for two more. Since then, injuries have come and gone, but so has her resilience.

A hand issue sidelined her again ahead of a semifinal in the Unrivaled 3-on-3 league. Angel Reese then missed a game before this year’s All-Star break with a leg injury. But she bounced back for All-Star weekend. That bounce didn’t save Chicago against the Lynx, though. They got throttled 91-68. That was just the second loss in what became a four-game skid. Even then, HC Marsh perfectly summed up Angel Reese’s grit: “It (Reese’s leg) was feeling a little tight during the game the other day… I think she wants to be at her best self for her teammates… But she’s a fighter and will continue to work through and battle back.”

And now, the Sky fans can only hope their toughest fighter will suit up (responsibly) when it matters most…

Angel Reese is battered up and one whistle away

Angel Reese is dangerously close to a suspension. She is just one more technical foul away. The Chicago Sky forward is currently leading the WNBA with seven technicals in only 23 games this season. This is what has put her on the brink of the automatic one-game suspension as the league’s rules enforce. Her latest tech came during the Sky’s 91–68 loss to the Minnesota Lynx on July 23. The refs called it with 2:42 left in the first quarter while Chicago held a narrow 16–12 lead.

As Underdog WNBA noted, “Status alert: Angel Reese has been assessed 7th technical foul. If she receives another, she’ll be automatically suspended one game.” The incident added to an already tough night for Reese. She finished with her 16th double-double of the year (11 points, 11 rebounds) but also turned the ball over nine times in a sluggish offensive showing. The timing couldn’t be worse, especially with Reese’s injury struggles too.

A leg issue had sidelined her since July 14, before she returned against Minnesota. Tonight, she didn’t play either against the Storm. Despite the challenges, her sophomore season has shown progress as a playmaker, and she has been key in building the Sky’s future frontcourt alongside Kamilla Cardoso. But staying on the court is critical for her growth at this point. Because the more minutes she will log, the more she can refine her game.

Right now, the Sky’s biggest concern is Reese avoiding that eighth tech. With Chicago’s playoff hopes fading fast (now 7–17 after another loss to Seattle), they need their “Chi-Town Barbie” focused on contributing. Not risking a suspension that would leave her watching from the sidelines.