Rickea Jackson out for the 2026 WNBA season after ACL tear

Rickea Jackson’s first season with the Chicago Sky ended after four games when the team said on May 19 that an MRI showed a torn ACL in her left knee. The injury happened in Chicago’s win over the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday, and the Sky said Jackson will miss the rest of the 2026 WNBA season and undergo surgery. (wnba.com) Jackson, 25, had opened the year as Chicago’s leading scorer at 18 points per game, according to reports citing the team’s early-season numbers. (sports.yahoo.com) The loss comes as the Sky sit at 3-1 after a season-opening road trip, a start that put them among the early risers in league power rankings. (wnba.com) ### How did the injury happen against Minnesota? Sunday’s game turned in the second quarter, when Jackson drove to the basket, made contact with Lynx forward Nia Coffey and planted her left foot before her knee gave out. (wnba.com) Yahoo Sports and other reports said the play came with 5:24 remaining in the first half. Sky staff helped Jackson to the locker room, and she was ruled out for the rest of the game. NBC Sports reported after the game that coach Tyler Marsh said Jackson was “in decent spirits” while awaiting imaging on the knee. (newsrally.com) ### What did Chicago say after the MRI results? The Sky said Tuesday that Jackson suffered a torn ACL in her left knee and will miss the remainder of the season. The team’s injury update said she will undergo surgery to repair the injury. (sports.yahoo.com) General manager Jeff Pagliocca said in a team statement that the organization was “devastated” by the injury and expected Jackson to make a full recovery. WNBA.com’s report on the announcement said Pagliocca also called Jackson “one of the toughest players in the league.” (sports.yahoo.com) ### What had Jackson done in her first four games with the Sky? Jackson arrived in Chicago after an April trade from the Los Angeles Sparks, according to multiple reports on the injury announcement. In four games, she had become the Sky’s top scorer and one of the clearest reasons for the team’s fast start. (wnba.com) ESPN’s May 19 power rankings said Chicago had climbed into the top five at 3-1 after finishing 10-34 last season. The outlet said the Sky’s reshaped roster and improved defense had fueled the turnaround, even as injuries became an early concern. (sports.yahoo.com) ### What does this mean for Chicago’s rotation right now? Chicago lost its leading scorer four games into the season, leaving Marsh to rework a rotation that had helped the club open 3-1. The Sun-Times reported there would be no easy replacement for Jackson’s production on the wing. (newsrally.com) Just Women’s Sports said Jackson’s absence adds to an early list of health issues for the Sky. Reports on the injury update described the setback as a significant blow to a roster that had looked deeper and more competitive than last season’s group. (msn.com) ### What comes next for Jackson and the Sky? Jackson is set to undergo surgery, according to the Sky’s injury update, and the team has ruled her out for the rest of the 2026 season. No timetable beyond the season-ending designation was provided in the announcement. (chicago.suntimes.com) Chicago’s next game is at home against Dallas after the Sky returned from their opening road trip, NBC Sports reported. The Sky entered that stretch at 3-1, and Jackson’s recovery now becomes a separate track from the team’s early push in the standings. (nbcsports.com) (wnba.com) (justwomenssports.com)