The Chicago Sky’s win column finally shifted to double digits after three months of struggle. Their night against the Sun was a resounding 88-64 victory – yet one shadowed by both anticipation for the future and sadness for Angel Reese. Even with her squad-high 18 points and 13 rebounds, good for her 23rd double-double, her evening closed on a sour note. The reason was no mystery as right before everyone’s eyes, Reese picked up a technical near the end of the first half, striking Aaliyah Edwards in the head as they battled for rebounding position in the paint. League rules are clear: players and coaches are suspended one game after their eighth technical foul in a season, and again for every two that follow.

Just like that, she was ruled out for the next game against Indiana. But that wasn’t all. Postgame, despite the victory, Angel Reese was dissatisfied with her squad. In her Chicago Tribune interview published Wednesday, Reese said she’s “not settling for the same (expletive) we did this year,” referencing the Sky’s second straight playoff miss. She added that she “might have to move in a different direction and do what’s best for me” if the roster didn’t see serious upgrades in free agency. Later, she insisted her words were taken out of context and offered public and private apologies. It hardly mattered as the Sky announced Friday that the second-year forward would also be suspended for half a game for comments deemed “detrimental to the team.”

“The Chicago Sky values the safety, respect, and well-being of every player. We are committed to accountability so our players can stay focused on playing basketball,” the team said in a statement. Fans braced themselves, prepared to sacrifice the first half against the Aces without their star. And yet, just when it seemed Angel Reese’s suspension saga had finally been wrapped in a neat bow – one game here, a half-game there, 60 minutes of hardwood exile in all, the sequel script flipped again. In the second half, she was supposed to waltz into T-Mobile Arena, lace up, and headline “Big A vs. Lil A: Part II” against A’ja Wilson under Vegas lights. The popcorn was ready. The hashtags were queued, but instead of an encore, Angel Reese never touched the floor.

As Aces reporter Callie Fin dryly posted: “Angel Reese will not be taking the court against the Aces despite her suspension being up. Sky PR announced at halftime that she’s been ruled out, citing her back.” This news came in shortly before the second half was set to begin. She hadn’t appeared on the injury report in the lead-up to Sunday’s matchup. The forward even participated in shootaround and wore a compression wrap on her back during pregame warmups at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Yet, this marked the 11th game Angel Reese has missed due to the same back injury. It first surfaced after the All-Star break in July. During her initial three-week absence, the Sky stumbled to a 1-9 record without her presence anchoring the paint. Just like that, all eyes shift to 9/9. It’s when the two franchises will meet again and Angel Reese will hopefully suit up for the Sky. But before that rematch arrives, a bigger question lingers…

Who Triggered the Chain of Bad luck for Angel Reese?

First, whose decision was it to suspend her in the first place? When Reese was asked pregame who broke the news, she straight away turned toward a PR staffer for guidance. Coach Tyler Marsh called it a “top-down” organizational choice. While guard Ariel Atkins hinted more directly that “ownership handled it how they see fit.” Clearly, this wasn’t Marsh’s call. It was a decision made high above the bench. It was a signal of just how seriously the Sky took Angel Reese’s words.

Second, where does the trust between player and team stand? When asked, how Marsh had supported her during the turmoil, Angel Reese never answered. A PR rep stepped in to redirect the question. That silence spoke louder than anything she might have said. Either Reese doesn’t want to talk, or the Sky don’t want her to.

And third, what about the locker room? Reese has apologized, and teammates insist that they’re moving forward. Yet optics told a cooler story. Atkins, sidelined with a back injury of her own, sat beside Reese on the bench – both locked straight ahead, neither engaging. Outside, the online noise swirled. Rookie Maddie Westbeld admitted she deleted X to tune it out. Veteran Kia Nurse simply wielded her block button. “You can’t comment to me, you can’t send me [direct messages],” she said. “My block button is strong.”

For the Sky, it’s another storm in a season of storms. For Angel Reese, it might be one more twist in a chain of bad luck that doesn’t seem ready to break. Stay tuned to see what happens next!