The Chicago Sky secured an 86–79 victory over the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday, but the win came at a massive cost. Star forward Rickea Jackson exited the contest in the second quarter after suffering a left knee injury.
The non-contact mishap occurred midway through the period, forcing Jackson to be helped off the court by training staff. She did not return to the game.
Following the injury, recent Sky acquisition Natasha Cloud voiced strong frustration regarding the officiating. Cloud received a technical foul almost immediately after Jackson went down, after she got into a heated exchange with the refs.
She later doubled down during her postgame remarks, saying the refs didn't do enough to protect her teammate.
"They failed to protect Rickea," Cloud said. "They failed to control the game. I go up to them, I say, 'The game's getting a little out of control. You need to control it.' The next possession we have hands all over Rickea, a push in her back, and we don't know what's going on with her."
"Truthfully, I think it's [expletive]," Cloud continued. "Obviously, I needed to get a tech. A lot of people think I'm a crash-out, but it was very intentional because I will be damned if a player gets hurt on our team [from] something that was controllable by the referees. That is a part of their job."
Cloud's comments come after the league announced it would be cracking down on physical play during the 2026 WNBA season.
Rickea Jackson Injury Update Impacts Chicago Sky Roster
Jackson's loss heavily impacts an already-reduced Chicago roster.
The Sky entered Sunday's matchup already missing several key players, including Skylar Diggins due to an eye injury.
Sky coach Tyler Marsh stated that Jackson was in good spirits following the game, though she remains under medical evaluation. The former first round draft pick will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of her injury.
The Sky faces its next regular-season test against the Dallas Wings at home on Wednesday, May 20th.
