Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese out for the rest of the season with a wrist injury: An evaluation of her debut season
Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese, the team’s leading rebounder, will miss the remainder of the WNBA season with a wrist injury, the team announced Saturday. According to the team, Reese was ruled out for the remainder of the season following a medical evaluation after Friday’s game.
“I’m emotional right now because I have a season-ending injury, but I’m also thankful for what’s to come,” Reese said on social media on Saturday.
Reese recorded a double-double of 24 points and 12 rebounds as the Sky defeated the Los Angeles Sparks 92-78 on Friday. It was Reese’s rookie-record 26th double-double of the season.
What a year. I never thought the last bucket of my rookie season would be a 3 but maybe God said they needed a taste of what they’ll see more of in year 2 lol🥲Throughout everything I’ve shown that I belong in this league even when no one else believed in it.… photo.twitter.com/re1X85mWR2
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) September 8, 2024
It’s been a record-breaking rookie campaign for Reese after Sky drafted her seventh in the 2024 WNBA Draft out of LSU. She is the WNBA’s all-time leader in single-season total rebounds (446) and offensive rebounds (172). She surpassed Sylvia Fowles for the WNBA single-season total rebound record on Sept. 2 against the Minnesota Lynx. Reese’s league-leading 13.1 rebounds per game and 5.1 offensive rebounds per game are currently the highest averages by a player in WNBA history in those categories.
Reese, a 2024 WNBA All-Star, became the first player in league history to have three consecutive games of 20 or more rebounds. Only Alyssa Thomas, who holds the record with 28, has more single-season double-doubles than Reese.
Reese finished the season playing in 34 games, averaging 13.6 points, 13.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game on 39.1 percent shooting. With Friday’s win, the Sky are 12-22 in 2024 and eighth in the league.
How do we look back on Reese’s debut season?
Reese immediately exceeded expectations early in her WNBA career with her relentless rebounding. Her pursuit of the ball on the offensive and defensive glass led to her setting league records for consecutive double-doubles and rebounds in a season. She also helped a Sky team that was expected to be a lottery pick stay in playoff contention. If the playoffs started today, Chicago would be in eighth place.
Despite being the seventh pick in the draft, Reese was the second-most productive rookie, ahead of everyone in her class except Caitlin Clark. She was a worthy All-Star, with 12 points and 11 rebounds off the bench for Team WNBA in a win over the Olympic team. She will undoubtedly earn All-Rookie honors, but will not be in the running for Rookie of the Year. — Sabreena Merchant, Women’s Basketball Team Editor
What does this mean for the Chicago Sky?
Reese was the Sky’s most impactful player this season. Chicago was 22.5 points per 100 possessions better with her on the court, the best on-off differential of any player in the league who played in at least two games. While her effective field-goal percentage of 39.5 was well below the league average, her ability to create extra possessions and defend her position made her a positive player, and not just for a rookie.
The Sky will have to continue to rely on Isabelle Harrison and Brianna Turner in Reese’s absence, or even play Michaela Onyenwere at 4 to improve the team’s spacing. Chicago is tied with Atlanta for eighth place, with one game remaining against the Dream on the penultimate day of the season. — Trader
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(Photo: Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
