Angel Reese will sit out the Chicago Sky’s season-ending Thursday night matchup with the New York Liberty with a back injury, coach Tyler Marsh told reporters Thursday.

Marsh was asked after the injury announcement if Reese had a future with the Sky, according to Fox 32 News’ Chris Kwiecinski.

“Sure,” Marsh answered, per Kwiecinski.

Thursday night will mark Reese’s fourth straight absence. She has not played since she was suspended for one and a half games for her eighth technical foul of the season and for what the Sky described as “statements detrimental to the team.”

The second suspension took place after Reese criticized the Sky for failing to build roster depth around her in an interview published by Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune.

The Sky then said in a statement the team was suspending Reese for half of a Sept. 7 game against the Las Vegas Aces because it was “committed to accountability so our players can stay focused on playing basketball.”

Reese ultimately sat out the entirety of the game, as well as the two final contests of the season, with her back injury. She had previously missed seven games in June due to a back issue.

Marsh told reporters earlier Thursday that he and Reese have spoken “every day” about her injury status.

The first-year coach also acknowledged Thursday that the Sky’s 2024 season had been “disappointing” after the franchise’s attempt to go all-in around Reese and Kamilla Cardoso resulting in a 10-win season.

Marsh still pushed back, however, against a question about a potentially “fractured” locker room in Chicago.

“If you’re here every day… and see what the vibes are, day in and day out, whether it’s practices or whether it’s shootaround, you’ve seen that the energy still continues to be pretty high,” Marsh said (h/t Chicago State of Mind Sports). “We’re not immune to going through adversity, just like any team. I think that for us, unfortunately, it’s just public.”

Reese, last season’s Rookie of the Year runner-up, led the Sky with 14.7 points and 12.6 rebounds per game in 2025. She also averaged 3.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.7 blocks while committing 3.9 turnovers per contest.

The 23-year-old has one year and a club option remaining on her rookie contract before she is set to hit restricted free agency in 2027, per Spotrac.

Now that Reese’s second season with the Sky is over, other WNBA clubs will undoubtedly be keeping an eye on the club’s relationship with the two-time All-Star in order to gauge the probability of a trade this offseason.