Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese announced on X that her season is over due to an injury on Saturday night after being declared questionable for the team’s upcoming game against the Dallas Wings with a wrist issue.
“Iâm filled with emotions right now that I have a season-ending injury, but also filled with so much gratitude for what is next. Although this is Godâs timing and not mine, I am finally able to give myself a physical and mental break. âGod gives his hardest battles to his strongest soldiers,â” Reese wrote.
Reese finishes her rookie year with an unprecedented number of rebounds. In just her first year, without even finishing the full season, Reese broke the record for most rebounds in a single WNBA season and the record for most rebounds per game with 13.1.
Reese broke the single-season record in the Sky’s 79-74 loss at Minnesota on Sept. 1, when she surpassed Sylvia Fowles’ record of 404 set in 2018. Fowles beat the record by one just a year after Jonquel Jones recorded 403. Reese accomplished the feat in just 23 games.
Reese was considered the biggest challenger to fellow rookie star Caitlin Clark for the WNBA’s Rookie of the Year award. Former NBA All-Star Joakim Noah even told Fox News Digital he would vote for Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese over Clark for Rookie of the Year if he had a say.
“When I look at her play, she reminds me a lot of myself,” Noah said.
Clark has put up the better averages in terms of points, assists, steals, blocks and every major shooting percentage category. Clark broke the Fever’s single-season record for assists in a loss to Minnesota on Friday.
But Reese did have a drastic advantage in terms of rebounds. With 13.1 rebounds per game, Reese more than doubled Clarkâs current 5.8 per game.
In head-to-head matchups this year, the Fever have beaten the Sky three out of four times. In two of those matchups, Reese put up more points than Clark while putting up more rebounds than Clark in all four meetings. Clark put up more assists in all four meetings.