Rickea Jackson ACL Injury Is a Major Blow to Sky’s Win-Now Hopes

Chicago Sky guard Rickea Jackson has been off to a very strong start in the 2026 WNBA season. Through three games, her 22 points per game are eighth-best in the league, and she appeared to be on a trajectory to stay in that spot if she could improve her field goal percentage.

Then came the Sky's fourth game against the Minnesota Lynx, which took plave on May 17. Jackson was driving to the paint at one point in that game when her left knee seemingly gave out under her.

People who have watched enough basketball know what the injury looked like right away, given its non-contact nature. But nobody wanted to diagnose Rickea's injury until the Sky confirmed it.

And that's what happened on May 19, when the Sky announced that Jackson had indeed torn the ACL in her left knee, which will require surgery and keep her sidelined for the rest of this 2026 season.

Chicago Sky forward Rickea Jackson (5) | Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images

Rickea Jackson Injury Interrupts What Looked Like Sky Breakout Year

In the press release announcing Jackson's season-ending injury, Sky GM Jeff Pagliocca said, “We’re devastated that Rickea suffered this injury, but we are confident she will make a full recovery. Rickea was playing at an All-Star and All-Defensive level early in the season. We are certain she was primed for a career year. Our world-class medical staff will work hard with Rickea, who is one of the toughest players in the league, to get her back on the court.”

Rickea Jackson underwent an MRI that revealed a left torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), an injury she sustained in the May 17 game against Minnesota. Jackson will miss the remainder of the 2026 WNBA season and undergo surgery to repair the injury.

We’re with you every step… pic.twitter.com/8WauK7o29D
— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) May 19, 2026

The Sky have a 3-1 record to start the season and look vastly improved from last season, where they finished tied for the league's worst record.

But losing Jackson, who has been their leading scorer to this point, will be tough for this team to recover from, especially because they're in win-now mode. They still have plenty of talent with veterans like Skylar Diggins, DiJonai Carrington, and Azurá Stevens, along with solid young players like Kamilla Cardoso and rookie Gabriela Jaquez, and would still appear to be a playoff-caliber club.

But Jackson had arguably the highest offensive upside out of any player on the roster, and her consistent scoring was irreplaceable. Still, the Sky have no choice but to forge on and keep trying to stack wins early in the season.

There's always a chance they could add another high-level scorer to their roster via trade at some point, especially if another WNBA team bows out of the playoff race early.

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