The Chicago Sky have been playing short staffed lately, including going into their Friday matchup against the Golden State Valkyries at home.

The Sky have been without star forward Angel Reese for seven consecutive games now and for most of the schedule since the All-Star break as Reese has been struggling with a back injury. Reese is a major component of the Sky roster, leading the team in points-per-game, rebounds-per-game and assists-per-game.

She has been an especially excellent contributor on the glass as she leads the entire WNBA in rebounds-per-game with 12.6 and total rebounds with 289.

There is no clear time table on Reese’s return, but Sky fans may be receiving some good news soon. According to head coach Tyler Marsh, Reese is returning to on-court activities and “shouldn’t be too much longer” (via Karli Bell). While the answers are vague, they do suggest a level of forward progress regarding the Chicago star’s condition that hadn’t been heard in some time.

Reese’s return would be a welcome one for a struggling Sky team. Chicago is just 8-24 on the season, 12th in the WNBA, and have gone just 1-5 in the six previous games they have played without Reese. In those five losses they have been outscored by a cumulative total of 75 points, highlighting the desperate need the team has for Reese’s defense.

If the reports are to be believed, things may be moving in the right direction soon. The Sky is squarely out of playoff contention by this point in 2025 so it’s best for the team to look toward the future, and that future is undeniably in Reese.

How Angel Reese’s Absence Impacted Sky-Valkyries on Friday

Reese’s impact was felt in Friday night’s contest between the Valkyries and Sky. Through three quarters, Golden State had opened up a 20-point lead, entering the final frame up 69-49.

The Valkyries also won the rebounding battle through three quarters, which is a lot more difficult to do when the league’s most prolific rebounder is on the court. Prior to Friday’s update, Marsh emphasized the team wants Reese out there.

“For us and for Angel, if she is healthy she wants to play,” he said. “And we want her to be out there to be able to play. We just don’t want to put her in harm’s way to further any existing injury. For us, it’s just making sure she is as healthy as possible… With the games remaining, if she is ready to go, she will be out there.”

WNBA Legend Lisa Leslie Had One Word for Angel Reese on Sunday

The Chicago Sky have now won two straight games and sit at 2-4 in the early part of the 2025 WNBA season. They defeated the Dallas Wings in consecutive contests, with Sunday’s victory coming on the road by a score of 94-83.

2024 WNBA All-Star Angel Reese is averaging 10.0 points and 12.3 rebounds to lead the Sky. She already has three double-doubles this season and became the fastest player in league history to reach 500 points and 500 rebounds.

On Sunday, she posted a series of pictures on Instagram featuring one of her pregame outfits from the recent two-game series against the Wings.

Reese limited the comments on her post, so only a select few could reply. WNBA legend Lisa Leslie, who Reese has grown close with in recent years, was one of the commenters.

She had a simple one-word message for Reese that showed support for the young star.

“Yep🔥😂,” Leslie commented.

Leslie played all 12 of her WNBA seasons with the Los Angeles Sparks, and she won two championships. She also earned three MVP awards, as well as 12 All-WNBA honorees and eight All-Star selections.

Angel Reese Sends Clear Message to Wings Coach Without Using Words

Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky got their second win of the season on Saturday night, beating the Paige Bueckers-less Dallas Wings, 94-83.

Ariel Atkins led the way for Chicago with 26 points on 8-of-14 shooting, while tallying four rebounds, three assists and four steals. Reese, for her part, had a near double-double with 14 points and nine boards to go along with two assists and three steals.

Reese also had a highlight reel-worthy play early in the game when she pulled off an epic assist to Elizabeth Williams. The All-Star forward saw a gap between two defenders and used it to send the ball to her teammate for an easy two.

However, one of the coolest moments from the showdown didn’t happen during the game but rather after it. Following Chicago’s win, Reese was spotted sharing a moment with Wings assistant coach Nola Henry.

Henry, who was hired by the Wings during the past offseason, was seen sharing a hug with Reese. The two were also all smiles as they posed for a photo before separating and walking away.

On her Instagram Stories, Reese shared the photo they took during their exchange. While she didn’t write any message, she did put several kinds of heart emojis, making it clear how much she loves and appreciates Henry.

It’s no surprise why Angel Reese and Nola Henry share such a strong bond, though. For those not in the know, Henry was Reese’s coach in Unrivaled — the 3-on-3 basketball league founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier.

Reese played for the Rose BC team coached by Henry. Under her guidance, the Sky star won Defensive Player of the Year in the 3-on-3 league’s inaugural season. The Rose also went on to win the Unrivaled championship.

Angel Reese Is So Pumped About Her ‘Fire’ New Signature Reebok Logo

Following a legendary college career and impressive rookie season in the WNBA, Angel Reese signed a contract extension with Reebok, which is set to launch a signature shoe for the Chicago Sky star in 2026. Fans will have to wait a little longer to see what the first edition of Reese’s kicks look like, but on Wednesday, the brand unveiled its new Reese logo.

To say that Reese is pumped for how it turned out is an understatement.

After first using a pair of emoji to call the new ‘AR’ logo “cold,” she penned a longer message to X.

Cold and fire… that’s high praise.

The logo is very cool, to be sure. Reebok designed a stylistic combination of Reese’s initials, combining the tops of the two letters to form a subtle halo.

Reese first signed with Reebok in October 2023, becoming the face of the company’s women’s basketball efforts. She’s on the shortlist of WNBA stars with signature shoe deals, along with Caitlin Clark, Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, A’ja Wilson and Sydney Colson.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Angel Reese Is So Pumped About Her ‘Fire’ New Signature Reebok Logo.