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Caitlin Clark was ruled out well in advance of the marquee matchup between the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky on Sunday. To make matters worse for fans, Angel Reese's injury status was also downgraded to “out” just an hour before tip-off at Wintrust Arena.
Reese’s last-minute absence from the special “Barbie Night Game”, a collaboration between the Sky and Mattel, led to some backlash on social media. Shortly after news of her unavailability was reported, many fans accused her of intentionally skipping the matchup to avoid facing the dominant Fever team.
"Ducking that fever belt. Wouldn’t have mattered anyway," one fan said.
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"Ducking the Fever since she don't wanna get that 6th L," another fan added.
Similar reactions followed:
Despite the backlash, Angel Reese’s absence is not entirely unexpected. She had been listed as "questionable" ahead of the Sky’s Thursday matchup against the Seattle Storm due to a lingering back injury that ultimately forced her to be sidelined.
Sunday’s game is only the third time Reese will be absent in the 2025 season, and the Sky lost both of the previous two. With the Fever holding a stronger winning percentage, 5-7, without Caitlin Clark in the lineup, Indiana remains in a strong position to secure the win.
Hailey Van Lith joins Angel Reese on bench for Sky's clash against Fever
The Chicago Sky are facing major challenges ahead of their July 27 matchup against the Indiana Fever. In addition to the absence of star rookie Angel Reese, the team announced Hailey Van Lith as a last-minute omission, who is sidelined with an ankle injury.
With Ariel Atkins and Moriah Jefferson still out, the Sky are heading into the game with just the league’s minimum requirement of eight available players.
Elizabeth Williams once again stepped into the starting lineup in place of Reese, marking her second straight start. She contributed 11 points, four rebounds and three assists in the Sky’s previous outing against the Seattle Storm. Despite her above-par outing as compared to the rest of the season, the team endured a humiliating 95-57 loss.
A potential loss against the Fever could have serious implications for the Sky. Dropping to a 7-18 record would put them level with the Dallas Wings for the second-worst mark in the league.
