Rickea Jackson deserves better than this.
The Los Angeles Sparks selected Jackson with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, and the thought was that she and Cameron Brink, the No. 2 overall pick, would help the Sparks return to contender status.
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Instead, the Sparks shipped Jackson off to the Chicago Sky on April 12, and what should have been a fresh start for the talented forward came to a tortuous end in the fourth game of the 2026 WNBA season.
Jackson, 25, was driving in the lane when she crumpled to the floor with an instantly obvious devastating non-contact injury against the Minnesota Lynx on May 17. By May 19, she had officially been diagnosed with a season-ending torn ACL.
Jackson finally received some positive news Friday, as the Sky announced that she had undergone “successful surgery” on her torn left ACL, per The Athletic’s Annie Costabile.
Jackson was averaging 18 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.0 assists before her season abruptly in Minnesota. There were high hopes for Jackson to thrive in Chicago, and the opportunity was there after the Sky traded All-Star forward Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream.
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The Sky were 3-1 at the time of Jackson’s injury and have fallen off a cliff in the month since, suffering a five-game losing streak immediately after their May 19 win over the Lynx. They’ve gone 1-10 without Jackson and sit at 4-10 overall.
Chicago will ride a four-game losing streak into Dallas to take on the Wings (9-6) at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday night.
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