Despite adding enough threats this offseason, the Chicago Sky are currently sitting on a disappointing 4-10 record. And it wouldn’t be wrong to point to Rickea Jackson’s injury as the singular moment that changed the trajectory of their entire 2026 campaign.

The newly acquired forward, who was in the middle of what was shaping up to be a breakout season, suffered a season-ending ACL injury in her left knee during her fourth game this season. But while she remains ruled out for the remainder of the season, there is at least some encouraging news, as revealed by the Chicago Sky.

The franchise sent a PR email to the reporters mentioning that Jackson had undergone a successful surgery on Friday. They have not revealed any other muscle tear, which reduces the complication in recovery for the third-year WNBA player.

Jackson had been delivering exactly the kind of impact the Sky had hoped for when they brought her in. Across her first three full games of the 2026 season, she was averaging 22.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Even in the very game where she sustained the injury, she had already contributed six points in just 11 minutes of action.

Despite being ruled out of the season, Jackson managed to be in the top-40 names as the 2026 WNBA All-Star voting phase 1 returns were revealed. She received 39,198 votes in the frontcourt, about 3000 more than her teammate, Kamilla Cardoso.

Simply put, her presence was a significant factor in the Sky’s promising 3-1 start to the season. And so it is no coincidence that since her injury, Chicago has managed just a single win across their next ten games.

ACL tears are quite notorious and can take over nine months to repair, effectively ending Jackson’s breakout year with the Sky. She found herself in a bigger role in her second-year with the LA Sparks last season when 2024 second overall pick, Cameron Brink, was out due to injury.

The injury itself occurred on May 17th, during the Chicago Sky’s fourth game of the season against the Minnesota Lynx. With 5:24 remaining before halftime, Rickea Jackson was attacking the paint in transition, guarded closely by Lynx defender Nia Coffey. As she bumped Coffey with her shoulder to create separation for her shot, her very next step saw her plant her left leg awkwardly. That caused her left knee to buckle and collapse completely under the weight of her body. 

For Rickea Jackson personally, it is a breakout year tragically cut short by injury. And for the Chicago Sky, the loss is a significant blow to their roster depth. And it is even more compounded by other subsequent and existing injuries. 

The goal and hope now, for the franchise, is to find its footing and start stringing wins together. And for Jackson, the path forward is clear: begin rehabilitation, work diligently toward a full recovery, and aim to return next season ready to pick up exactly where she left things off. Meanwhile, her team is already standing strong with her.

“We’re just surrounding her with love and comfort and letting her know we’re here for her in any way possible,” head coach Tyler Marsh said after the injury was first confirmed. “We’re not going anywhere. She’s not going anywhere. We’re here for the long haul with Rickea.”

They showed that publicly in the Sky’s home opener game, where Rickea Jackson herself made an emotional appearance shortly after her diagnosis. Her teammates visibly supported her by wearing her #5 jersey during pre-game warmups. It was a great gesture. But beyond that, Rickea Jackson has not made any public comment about the injury yet. For now, all she needs to do is rest up and recover.