Chicago Sky star Angel Reese will miss her sixth consecutive game Wednesday when her team takes on the last-place Connecticut Sun. Reese has been dealing with a back injury since the All-Star break and has only appeared in two of the Sky’s games since the season resumed. 

“There isn’t a concrete timetable as to the extent that I know,” Sky coach Tyler Marsh said earlier this month. “It’s the back injury and she continues to be day-to-day … I think she’s progressing but still kind of wait and see.”

Reese last played on July 29 during the Sky’s 103-86 loss to the Mystics, and she endured a frustrating night. While she put up 22 points and 13 rebounds, she shot 6 of 16 from the field and was hampered by both foul trouble and back pain. 

“It was ugly, ugly for me, but I tried to push through as much as I could for my teammates because I know they need me out there,” Reese said. “When I am out there, I don’t think about an injury. It can happen anyway, anytime. If I’m thinking about it too much, it’s gonna happen again. So, just trying to fight through contact as much as I can and do whatever I can for the team.” 

Marsh said previously that Reese’s back tightened up after the loss to the Mystics and that the team is holding her out as a precautionary measure. There’s no reason for the Sky to rush Reese back when they’re 8-23 and 7½ games out of the final playoff spot with 13 games remaining in the regular season. That would be true with any injury, but especially a back issue. 

Reese’s sophomore season has been a roller coaster. She got off to a historically bad start, and through her first seven games was shooting a dismal 30.9% from the field, including 16 of 50 (32%) in the restricted area. She gradually improved, though and on June 15, she recorded her first career triple-double in a win over the Connecticut Sun. 

A week later, on June 22, she recorded the first of 11 consecutive double-doubles. That streak, which made her the first player in league history to have multiple double-double streaks of at least 10 games, is still active. Over her last 11 games, Reese is averaging 16.9 points and 13.1 rebounds on 50.9% shooting. 

Reese was named an All-Star for the second time in two seasons on July 6.