MEDLEY, Fla. — Angel Reese will miss her team’s Unrivaled playoff semifinal matchup Sunday because of a hand injury, the league announced Saturday.
Reese, the Chicago Sky star who plays for Rose BC in the 3-on-3 league, injured her hand against Vinyl in last week’s regular-season finale. It’s the same left hand that Reese had surgery on in September to repair a small crack in a bone in her wrist, which ended the star forward’s stellar rookie season with the Sky.
Reese was one of Unrivaled biggest standouts during its inaugural eight-week regular season. She was named the Defensive Player of the Year on Saturday after leading the league with 12.1 rebounds per game and was named to the All-Unrivaled second-team earlier this week.
Reese led Rose with eight blocked shots and anchored Unrivaled’s best scoring defense, which held opponents to 65.2 points per game. Reese also had a 22-point, 21-rebound game on Feb. 21, when Rose handed Unrivaled co-founder Napheesa Collier and the Lunar Owls their only loss.
“God, thank you for getting me through the highs & lows!” Reese posted on social media Saturday. “Be where your feet are & allow yourself growth!”
Unrivaled’s postseason begins Sunday with two semifinal matchups. Reese’s second-seeded Rose team will face Kayla McBride and the No. 3 seed Laces in the first semifinal. Collier and the top-seeded Lunar Owls will take on Dearica Hamby, Aliyah Boston and No. 4 Vinyl in the other. The winners will advance to Monday’s final.
It’s not yet known if Reese would be available to play in Monday’s final if her team advances.
