Despite their intense rivalry, even Caitlin Clark felt the pain of the abrupt ending to “Chi-town Barbie’s” rookie season. “It’s definitely devastating. That’s never anything you want to see from a player,” shared the Indiana Fever rookie. But for the Chicago Sky standout’s fans, it’s not just sympathy they feel for her.
Instead, her 4.1 million followers on Instagram are highly anticipating her comeback. Since playing on the court is not an option, the 22-year-old Maryland native has found love in showing up to the arena in style and contributing in her own little ways. For Thursday’s game, she stunned with two long Dutch braids, paired with a black tee, silver bottoms, and a sparkling silver sling bag. To share her look with her followers, she wrote, “Been through too many storms to be tweakin’ over a raindrop!” alongside a couple of pictures.
Amid all the stunning looks, one detail stood out—a hard cast on her left hand. It served as a reminder of the tough setback Reese has found herself in. Just two weeks before the conclusion of the 2024 rookie season, she was injured in a game against the LA Sparks. This injury cost her the remainder of the season, a chance to break historical records, and even the probable “Rookie of the Year” title.
According to ESPN, she was ahead of her archrival Clark in the race. But now, all of this has turned into a nightmare for her. Even for Chicago Sky, it has come to be a critical situation as they fight to make the playoffs, standing head-to-head with Dream and have a game lined up with its roster. The urgency of this situation has led to fans storming the comment section.
“Heal fast, Barbie, we need you,” penned one Instagram user. Who else could say those words better than a loyal fan? With the recent loss, the Windy City has slipped to stand alongside the Atlanta Dream and Washington Mystics in the playoff race. They face three of the top-seeded teams next in their next 4 and Reese’s presence would have meant all the more for the Sky in the crucial phase.
But with the rookie cheering from the sidelines for both the games, with a bright smile, and her involvement in the team’s play has a few more taking solace in the fact.
Despite only a hairline fracture, the rookie underwent a surgery Tuesday night to avoid plausible arthritis. Only hours later, she was courtside, keeping her word on cheering for her team. Glad about the recovery, another expressed, “You looked so pretty yesterday! I’m glad the surgery went well. Sad it was my first Sky game, and I didn’t get to see you play.”
Desperate enough to see the rookie back on court, another she switch from her usual left hand shooting to the right. You might as well go right-handed,” wrote one spectator. But wouldn’t be a realistic option of course. Even after switching hands, she cannot play, as both hands are required to grab rebounds—something she’s exceptional at.
Overall, the fans are just happy to see the LSU Tigress happy and recovering. “love to see you smiling,” one conveyed for all. The 22-year–old will be in the cast for 4 weeks and a soft one for 2 more. She might follow it up with a rehab and give the fans a show of her skills once again at the Unrivalled early next year.
