Rickea Jackson injured in resilient Sky win against Lynx

MINNEAPOLIS — It's one thing to talk about a "next man up" mentality, which Sky coach Tyler Marsh does often. It's another to watch your best player go down screaming, grabbing her knee, and then play through it anyway — which his team did Sunday night in an 86-79 victory over the Lynx.

Rickea Jackson looked to be the face of the franchise for the Sky through their first three games, averaging 22 points, 6 rebounds and 2.7 assists. She was the go-to option helping carry a brand new roster while teammates recovered from longer-term injuries. She started Sunday the way she'd started every game — attacking off the bounce, hitting the slick turnaround, throwing down an emphatic block.

Then, with 5:25 left in the second quarter, driving left, Jackson crumbled to the floor.

There was no official diagnosis given. Marsh said after the game that the medical team was still evaluating. But when a player goes down grabbing her knee and has to be helped off the court, it usually means one thing. An ACL tear.

Veteran point guard Natasha Cloud had a harsh message for the officials after the game.

“I told the refs ‘the game’s getting a little out of control,’” Cloud said. “We need to control it. And the next possession we have hands all over Rickea, a push all over her back. We don’t know what's going on, but truthfully, I think it’s bullshit.”

The injury was reason enough for the Sky to fold. It was the final game of a four-game road trip, against a Lynx team off to a strong start, missing point guard Skylar Diggins who was out with an eye injury. Instead, Chicago built a 10-point lead in the third quarter and got contributions up and down the roster. Center Kamilla Cardoso snapped out of a mini-slump with 11 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocks.

Rookie Gabriela Jaquez led the team with 20 points on 54.5% shooting, adding 8 rebounds, and continued her early-season theme of always being in the right place at the right time.

“You not no rookie,” Cloud said to Jaquez after the game. “She was leading half our huddles.”

The Lynx, led by All-Star guards Courtney Williams and Kayla McBride, didn’t go away quietly. Minnesota was at their best to open the fourth quarter, forcing turnovers and turning them into points, closing the gap to two. The Sky didn't fold. Buckets from Cardoso, Jaquez and Rachel Banham — who finished with 13 — pushed the lead back to 10 just as fast.

One more Lynx push in the final two minutes was put away by a huge defensive rebound and 3-pointer from Jaquez.

It was a remarkable win that validated the identity the Sky are trying to build: tough, resilient, defensive-minded. They return home for their home opener at 3-1.

And still, there may not have been a worse way to end a road trip.

Jackson looked to be on the cusp of a breakout year, with Cloud predicting her first All-Star appearance. Now they may have to finish the season without her.

It is also a painful echo of 2025. Last season, Courtney Vandersloot tore her ACL in the Sky's seventh game. What followed was a complete unraveling — a 10-34 finish. This roster is more talented and tougher. Sunday's win made that clear.

Still, difficult times are ahead.

The Sky are down to eight active players. Point guard Skylar Diggins sat out with an eye injury. DiJonai Carrington, Azurá Stevens and Vandersloot are all out with medium- to long-term injuries. Depending on how quickly Diggins returns, the Sky could find themselves in hardship territory — emergency contracts granted when a team drops below 10 available players due to injury or illness.

The bigger issue is what Jackson meant to this franchise. She was the player they wanted to build around. Now they may have to wait another year to find out what that looks like.