Angel Reese announced the early end of her WNBA rookie season following a wrist injury.
“What a year. I never would have imagined the last bucket of my rookie season would be a 3 but maybe that was God saying give them a taste of what they will be seeing more of in Year 2 lol,” Reese, 22, wrote via X on Saturday, September 7.
The Chicago Sky forward suffered what she described as a “season-ending” wrist injury playing against the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday, September 6.
“Through it all, I have showed that I belong in this league even when no one else believed,” she wrote. “All I have ever wanted was to come into the W and make an impact. I can confidently say I have done that and will strive to keep doing so. I’m filled with emotions right now that I have a season ending injury, but also filled with so much gratitude for what is next.”
Reese did not give specific details of what happened, but did post to her fans via X, “I love you guys & appreciate all the thoughts and prayers! i know you guys would cut your wrist off to give it to me in a heart beat!”
Per ESPN, Reese was the No. 7 pick in the 2024 WNBA draft and the Chicago Sky’s first rookie All-Star since 2013, and the fourth overall. She will walk away from her rookie season with 26 double-shots, the second most in a single season in WNBA History.
“Although this is God’s timing and not mine, I am finally able to give myself a physical and mental break. ‘God gives his hardest battles to his strongest soldiers,’” Reese’s statement concluded. “You’ll still see me being the biggest cheerleader on the sideline! And Unrivaled league, see you soon!”
This summer, Reese set a record for the WNBA with 15 consecutive double-doubles, and her final score averages for the season were 13.6 points, 13.1 rebounds and 1.3 steals per Game. In June, Reese netted a career-high 25 points and 16 rebounds in a Game against the Indiana Fever and fellow rookie phenom Caitlin Clark, helping the Sky win in an 88-87 victory.
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Reese and Clark, 22, have been rivals since they played in the NCAA, playing respectively for LSU and Iowa. Reese, however, told reporters in March that while she and Clark may be rivals on the court, there is no bad blood between them.
“I don’t think people realize it’s not personal,” Reese said at the time. “Once we get out between those lines, if I see you walking down the street, it’s like, ‘Hey, girl, what’s up? Let’s hang out.’ I think people just take it like we hate each other. Me and Caitlin Clark don’t hate each other. I want everybody to understand that.”
Clark shared a similar sentiment during a post-Game press conference in June. “I’m pretty sure the only people that view this as a rivalry is all of you,” she said during a post-Game press conference. “Like, to us it’s just a Game of basketball.”
