Angel Reese Back with Chicago Sky

Angel Reese was cleaned to play for Chicago Sky on Tuesday night against Seattle Storm at Wintrust Arena after losing nine from the last 10 matches with lower back injuries.

Reese sat in the last match before resting All-Star July 16 with foot injuries, then fully participated in the All-Star game and the rest of the weekend and played in Sky’s first match on July 22.

The second year attacker skipped two home matches after the initial back injury was reported before returning to lose the road on July 29 to Washington Mystics-his first opportunity to play the WNBA game in front of his grandmother. Reese recorded 22 points and 13 rebounds in the match, but Sky Medical staff closed it again immediately after loss.

Sky 1-9 with reese is absent.

Reese said there were no certain moments or games that cause injury. He refused to comment further about the recovery process, adding that he would “talk about it after the season.” He also did not determine whether he would be under minute limit.

The sky cleaned Reese to return to basketball activities during the weekend after almost three weeks without playing. He practiced Monday but remained a decision time for the match until the last hour before Tipoff Tuesday.

After weeks on the sidelines, he really wanted to return to court.

“I like basketball,” Reese said. “Basketball is what makes me here. Put everything (BS) to the side – I want to Hoop. I always want to go back there.”

So where did the sky go from here?

The last 10 matches painted a gloomy picture of Sky’s ability to compete without Reese, which averaged 14.2 points, 12.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists and shot 44.4% from the field before injury. He led the team to score goals and lead the league in rebound.

Only 10 matches remaining after Tuesday, and Sky (8-25 entered Tuesday) to the last to the last in the standings and eight matches outside the last playoff. They can be eliminated from postseason quarrels in the next 10 days.

But even with playoffs out of reach, the sky does not plan to slow down the last stretch. After trading their first round pick to Minnesota Lynx, they will not benefit in the draft of the lower finishing in the standings.

The sky might slightly shift their approach as soon as they were eliminated from the postseason. It will especially be translated into shorter rotation for the beginning and increased minutes for players like Maddy Westbeld whose list is assessed for the coming season. But unlike a team like Washington Mystics, the sky did not enter the controlled tanking for the last quarter of the season.

In the short term for Reese, this view means returning to what he prefers to do: Hooping.

Initially published: August 19, 2025 at 18:58 EDT