Chicago Sky Announce Angel Reese News After WNBA Suspension and Team Punishment

As fans were preparing for Reese to reenter the lineup for the third quarter against Las Vegas, the Sky announced the second-year forward had been ruled out with a back injury.

"Angel Reese will not be taking the court against the Aces despite her suspension being up," Callie Fin of Las Vegas Review-Journal shared on X. "Sky PR announced at halftime that she's been ruled out, citing her back."

Reese was not on the initial injury report, which just included Courtney Vandersloot, Hailey Van Lith and Ariel Atkins, so this news from the team was unexpected.

Reese missed extended time earlier this season with a back injury, so the ailment is not new. But prior to her suspension against Indiana, Reese had appeared in seven straight games, seemingly putting the back issue behind her.

Speaking with reporters pregame, Sky head coach Tyler Marsh made it clear he was expecting Reese to play. He even addressed how she will stay warm while sitting for the first half.

"Whether it's heating pads or whether it's being on the bike and staying active from that standpoint, I think different players operate differently," he said. "So we'll trust our medical staff to be able to keep her ready and locked in for the second half."

Down 13 points at the half against a 27-14 Aces team, it's possible the 10-31 Sky just decided to hold Reese out for the game's entirety to avoid any health risks. In 30 appearances this season, Reese is averaging 14.7 points and 12.6 rebounds.

She made the All-Star team for a second straight season, but when combined with her injury absences that production has not been enough to keep Chicago from its worst winning percentage since the 2006 inaugural campaign.