Chicago Sky forward Rickea Jackson misses WNBA season with torn ACL
Chicago Sky forward Rickea Jackson will miss the remainder of the WNBA season after suffering a torn left anterior cruciate ligament during Sunday’s victory against the Minnesota Lynx.
An MRI scan confirmed the extent of the damage on Tuesday, and the 23-year-old will now undergo surgery at an unconfirmed date.
Devastating blow for breakout star
The former Tennessee standout had enjoyed a phenomenal start to her third year in the professional ranks.
Prior to the weekend, she was leading the Chicago offence with an impressive average of 22 points per game.
Jackson joined the Illinois franchise this off-season following a trade from the Los Angeles Sparks, where she established her reputation as an elite scorer.
General manager Jeff Pagliocca expressed his profound disappointment but backed the 6ft 2in star to bounce back.
“We’re devastated that Rickea suffered this injury, but we are confident she will make a full recovery,” Pagliocca said.
“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.”
Mounting injury crisis in Chicago
This latest setback compounds a growing availability crisis for head coach Tyler Marsh.
Key personnel including Azura Stevens, DiJonai Carrington and Courtney Vandersloot have all failed to make their season debuts due to various ailments.
Furthermore, Skylar Diggins was sidelined for Sunday’s 86-79 win with an eye issue, although she is expected to return to the court shortly.
The franchise will now rely on its world-class medical staff to rehabilitate their leading scorer ahead of next season.