As Angel Reese entered the Wintrust Arena with her cool swagger surrounding her, everyone waited for her to dress up in that No. 5 jersey and dominate again. The players came out, had their warm ups, got introduced, and BAM! No Angel Reese. She was still expected to play, not being on the injury list. But instead of wearing the white jersey like her teammates against the Seattle Storm, she was on the sidelines wearing a red shirt, in her jeans, goggles on; nothing like forward we have known in almost two years now.

Ever since she stepped into the Windy City, Angel Reese didn’t just take the name Chi-Town Barbie for the sake of it. The league’s rebounds leader had been the competitive fiery back of the team, playing the best basketball of her two years in the WNBA. Currently, she is averaging 13.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. While she has been developing her game, even before the All-Star break, she was sidelined besides Ariel Atkins, both out with leg injuries. Not seeing her on the court confirmed one thing that no one wanted to know.

Karli Bell, a reporter from Chicago, tweeted her update, “Angel Reese has officially been ruled OUT for the Sky’s game vs. the Seattle Storm.”

The Chicago Sky star was first listed as questionable after missing the shootaround. Then, a couple of hours later, she was officially ruled out due to a lingering back issue. And all that came despite her looking physically fine in her last outing, logging 11 points and 11 rebounds against the Lynx. So, honestly, it seems the toll of the grueling WNBA schedule, combined with increasing minutes for an injury-ridden Sky team, may have finally caught up with her.

 

Angel Reese has officially been ruled OUT for the Sky’s game vs. the Seattle Storm

— Karli Bell (@KarliBell33) July 25, 2025

Expand Tweet

This isn’t the first time the Chi-Town Barbie has missed a regular-season game. Against the Lynx right before the All-Star break when she was held out with a leg injury. Though the head coach later confirmed it was precautionary, Reese did return for the All-Star weekend. However, the following game against the Atlanta Dream didn’t go well. The Sky were outmatched from the start and ended up dropping the contest 86–49.

Well, that marked the beginning of a three-game losing streak during a particularly difficult stretch of the season. And the frustration was evident when Head Coach Tyler Marsh shared in a press conference, “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…She’s a competitor, she wants to be out there and compete, she wants to be able to do it at 100%. And obviously, it’s tough going through the ups and downs of the season—whether from an injury standpoint or wins and losses standpoint. But she’s a fighter and will continue to work through and battle back.”

Ever since last season, when she was diagnosed with a hairline wrist fracture during a game against LA—an injury that ended her rookie WNBA season and required surgery, followed by four weeks in a hard cast and two more in a soft cast—Reese has been dealing with injuries off and on. After her rookie season, she was sidelined ahead of a semifinal game while playing in the Unrivaled 3-on-3 league due to a hand injury.

With the Sky already missing Courtney Vandersloot, they wouldn’t want to miss another voice in the locker room, that too when she’s red hot in terms of performance on court. Just consider she recorded her 10th straight double-double, putting up 11 points and 11 rebounds in her last outing versus the Lynx. So, you know her absence will definitely be felt!

But will Angel Reese’s absence cost the Sky?

Sure, Reese went just 3-of-8 from the field with three assists in that game against the Lynx—but she also led the team with nine turnovers, which isn’t exactly ideal for someone expected to lead. And let’s not forget her seventh technical foul—a reminder that frustrations have been bubbling over.

But, still, the Sky needed her now more than ever, especially with seven-time All-Star Skylar Diggins-Smith, who recently notched the first triple-double and an assist record in the All-Star Game and now is back on the roster. While she was listed out for personal reasons against the Wings, now she’ll be giving the Storm a significant boost as they look to improve on their 14–10 record. Her defensive abilities mixed with her quick steps can certainly help the team’s defense.

As for the Sky, Reese isn’t the only one sidelined. Michaela Onyenwere (knee) and Ariel Atkins (leg) have also been ruled out for the Storm game as they continue to recover from their respective injuries. This only means one thing: Chicago will be significantly shorthanded. But do they still have a chance at winning?