Angel Reese reacts to heartbreaking news of Courtney Vandersloot’s season ending knee injury (Image source: Getty)

"Love you 22" - Angel Reese reacts to heartbreaking news of Courtney Vandersloot’s season-ending knee injury

Modified Jun 10, 2025 07:46 GMT

Chicago Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot sustained a season-ending ACL injury against the Indiana Fever on Saturday.

The 15-year WNBA veteran underwent an MRI, which revealed an ACL tear. She will undergo surgery and miss the rest of the 2025 season.

Angel Reese reacted to the news on Instagram. She reshared Chicago's post on her Instagram story and added a three-word caption for her teammate:

"Love you 22."

Angel Reese's Instagram story on Sunday (Credits: IG/@angelreese5)

Vandersloot went down with the injury midway through the opening quarter of the Sky's 79-52 loss to the Indiana Fever on Saturday. The two-time WNBA champion hit the deck after driving to the basket. Vandersloot had to be helped off the floor and was eventually ruled out of the rest of the game. She finished with two points in five minutes.

Vandersloot is in her second stint in Chicago. She returned to the Sky this offseason after spending two years with the New York Liberty. Chicago selected Vandersloot with the No. 3 pick of the 2011 WNBA draft.

In seven games, Vandersloot, the Sky's all-time leading scorer, averaged 10.6 points, 5.3 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.6 steals on 43.9% shooting.

Sky coach Tyler Marsh on Courtney Vandersloot's injury: "A huge blow"

After Saturday's game against the Fever, Chicago Sky coach Tyler Marsh was asked about losing Courtney Vandersloot to injury.

"She's our engine," Marsh told reporters. "She's our captain and our leader out there, so obviously, it's a huge blow. But hopefully, it's not as serious as we may think. We're hoping she is able to bounce back, but for the time being, we all got to pick her up. We all got to lift her up; we all got to lift each other up."

Vandersloot's injury was a significant setback for the 2-5 Sky, who are missing the services of nine-year guard Moriah Jefferson. Rookie guard Haley Van Lith played 26 minutes on Saturday. Before that, the 11th pick of the 2025 WNBA draft had appeared in just four games, averaging 9.3 minutes per game.

Marsh will now have to rely on other players to fill the void left by Courtney Vandersloot. The veteran leads the team in assists and steals this season. She is also the team's third-leading scorer behind Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso.

Next up for the Sky is the New York Liberty on Tuesday. Vandersloot won the title with the Liberty last season.

About the author

Kim is an editor for US Sports and an NBA and WNBA analyst at Sportskeeda with a decade of multi-industry experience. He has a master's degree in business administration and a bachelor's degree in finance.

Writing has been Kim's passion, and during college, he was editor-in-chief. He has also accumulated a diverse entrepreneurial background. He possesses a knack for research and was recently a professor.

Kim has been a Boston Celtics fan since 2007, through its many ups and downs. He was delighted when the Cs raised its 18th banner in 2024.

Beyond basketball, he also enjoys following the NFL, MLB and F1. When not immersed in the world of sports and when he is not editing or writing, Kim is likely searching for the perfect cup of joe.

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