Paige Bueckers Sends 6-Word Message to Rickea Jackson’s Season-Ending Injury
Via Imagn ©Via Imagn The Chicago Sky may still be sitting near the top of the standings early in the 2026 WNBA season, but Tuesday has brought in the kind of news that will put a question mark on their future. When the franchise just started looking like a possible championship contender behind Rickea Jackson, the Sky star suffered a devastating injury that will sideline her for the rest of the season. However, shortly after the heartbreaking update, Paige Bueckers made sure to send a message to Jackson that quickly caught fans’ attention online.
Bueckers shared a photo of herself and Jackson playing together on her Instagram story with a six-word message that read, “Small thing to a giant killa. ” According to the latest updates, Jackson recently underwent an MRI that revealed a torn ACL in her left knee. The injury occurred during the second quarter of Chicago’s 86-79 win over the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday when her knee buckled on a non-contact play while attacking the basket in transition.
Jackson immediately went down screaming in pain and remained on the floor for several minutes before being helped back to the locker room. So after she completed the medical evaluation, the Sky announced that she would miss the remainder of the season and undergo surgery, with the franchise’s medical staff expected to guide her throughout the recovery process. The timing makes the setback even tougher for Chicago because Rickea Jackson was in the middle of the best stretch of her young WNBA career.
The 2024 first-round pick averaged 22 points and 6 rebounds per game through the Sky’s first three games while emerging as one of the league’s early breakout stars on both ends of the floor. “We’re devastated that Rickea suffered this injury, but we are confident she will make a full recovery,” the Sky general manager, Jeff Pagliocca, said. “Rickea was playing at an All-Star and All-Defensive level early in the season.
We are certain she was primed for a career year. ” So, during what is expected to be a long recovery process for Jackson, Bueckers made sure to show her support for her former teammate. The bond between Bueckers and Jackson got stronger during the 2026 Unrivaled, where both players were drafted to the same team – Breeze BC.
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