Chicago Sky suffer massive injury blow with Angel Reese, $400,000 star sidelined and 2 others iffy vs Valkyries

The Chicago Sky face an uphill battle ahead of Friday's game against the Golden State Valkyries with stars Angel Reese and Ariel Atkins sidelined. Not just that, Chicago could also be without Hailey Van Lith and Michaela Onyenwere, who are listed as questionable.

Reese returned to action on Tuesday against the Washington Mystics. She scored 22 points, 13 rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks, shooting 37.5%. Just as it seemed like she was healthy, the All-Star's lingering back issue has ruled her out again.

Meanwhile, Atkins, the Sky's $400,000 marquee addition via trade last offseason, will miss her sixth game with a leg injury, which she sustained on July 14. Van Lith is dealing with a knee issue, missing the last two games, while Onyenwere has an ankle injury.

The Sky are on a six-game losing streak, and the timing of their injury report stacking up couldn't have been worse, especially with their best player, Angel Reese, on it. Chicago could have had a better shot at a win with the Valkyries playing on the second night of a road back-to-back, but with limited rotation players, it's an unlikely outcome.

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Reporter explains why Angel Reese may have sat in her second game after returning from back injury

Angel Reese's absence on Friday may have surprised many. The two-time All-Star had just returned to action, and her back issue didn't seem as serious as when first reported. Reese also had one of her best games upon her comeback. However, the Sky have her sidelined again.

WNBA reporter Karli Bell explained why it may have been the case after an X user asked why the Sky rushed Reese back if she wasn't ready. Here's what Bell replied with in a series of tweets:

Karli Bell

@KarliBell33

As someone who suffers from chronic back pain because of a basketball injury 10+ years ago, this is something that just has flare ups. You could sleep wrong, turn a weird way, overstretch, etc.​All you can do is rest, stretch, attack with heat & test how you feel each day

Karli Bell

@KarliBell33

And this is something that’s very prevalent with tall women as well, esp. if you go through a huge growth spurt in one year in youth​Back injuries are no joke. They are not to be taken lightly & met with caution at all times. ​You could feel great one day and awful the next​

Karli Bell

@KarliBell33

I’ve thrown my back out from turning to grab my bag out of the backseat of my car. ​It’s knocked me out for upwards of 3-5 days before you start to feel better & then it’s flared up again​It just happens. It’s a weird injury to navigate bc it’s all based on how the player feels

Angel Reese experienced two growth spurts in the first year of high school. She initially started as a point guard but had to transition into a post player after growing to 6-foot-3. It could be why she's experiencing discomfort.

Another reason the Sky may have limited her is the tight schedule over the next two weeks. The Sky will play five games in eight days, so this could be workload management.