Chicago Sky Make Ariel Atkins Announcement on Saturday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Max Escarpio | Last updated Jul 12, 2025 4:48 PM ET

The Chicago Sky picked up a major victory over the No. 1 team in the WNBA standings, defeating the Minnesota Lynx 87-81.

Angel Reese and the Sky entered Saturday's game as clear underdogs but pulled away with the help of a big-time performance from their All-Star forward.

Reese finished the game with 19 points, 11 rebounds and four assists.

While Reese had a great performance, teammate Ariel Atkins was named the "Player of the Game" following the matchup against the Lynx.

Atkins capped off the game with 27 points, three rebounds and one assist.

"27-PIECE FOR DOUBLE A TODAY," posted the official social media account of the Chicago Sky.

27-PIECE FOR DOUBLE A TODAY

Presented by @MagellanCorp | #skytown pic.twitter.com/NDLgPhFaG8
— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) July 12, 2025

Heading into the matchup against the Lynx, Atkins was averaging 13.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.

She's also been extremely productive on the defensive end, posting 1.9 steals and 0.9 blocks per game.

While all eyes have been on Reese and Kamilla Cardoso, who entered their second season in the WNBA together, Atkins has been a phenomenal leader for head coach Tyler Marsh on the court.

Throughout her second season into WNBA, Reese has averaged 13.3 points, 12.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game entering Saturday.

Reese leads the team in rebounding and has continued to improve her offensive game, stretching her scoring from beyond the bottom of the basket.

Cardoso entered Saturday's game averaging 12.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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