Angel Reese forgets about fashion and returns to basketball with new injury update

Angel Reese is once again letting her game do the talking. After briefly stepping away from the court due to a wrist injury, the Chicago Sky star has officially begun her return to basketball activity, leaving behind fashion headlines and focusing fully on her recovery and readiness for the upcoming WNBA season.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Reese is now back in the gym just weeks before training camp opens for the Sky.  The encouraging update arrives after the 22-year-old suffered a left wrist injury during the third quarter of Rose BC’s game on March 10 in the Unrivaled League – a setback that forced her out of the final weekend of action.  The injury occurred on the same wrist that underwent surgery in September 2024, during her WNBA rookie campaign. Still, Reese has recovered well, with no signs of limitations as she ramps up her on-court work.

From Unrivaled setback to full-speed ahead

In a video posted on Instagram by player development coach Iren Rainey, Reese is seen smoothly going through shooting drills.  Rainey, who has worked with both NBA and WNBA players, joined Reese for sessions as part of her return-to-play program.  Reese also reposted another clip on her own account showing her training with Tony Ponton, a sports performance trainer, performing squats with dumbbells while wearing a big smile.  “You see the abs okayyyy,” Reese wrote in her Instagram story, showing that her offseason transformation hasn’t just been about rehab, but about elevating her entire game and physique.

Before her injury, Reese was thriving in the Unrivaled League, a 3-on-3 tournament launched in early 2025 to give WNBA players more exposure and development opportunities in the offseason.  She was named Defensive Player of the Year and selected to the AllUnrivaled Second Team, helping Rose BC claim the first-ever league championship despite her absence in the final games.

Angel Reese back in the gym and out of that hand brace today.

She was ruled out of the final weekend of Unrivaled with a hand injury. Has been wearing a brace in all public appearances for the past three weeks.

Good sign for Angel less than three weeks out from training camp. pic.twitter.com/3k9ewJEzPi

— Julia Poe (@byjuliapoe) April 8, 2025

A focused mission for 2025

During her time away from league competition, Reese also trained with WNBA icon Lisa Leslie, gaining insights into post-play and leadership from one of the game’s all-time greats.  That mentorship, coupled with her physical transformation, has many expecting a breakout sophomore campaign.

Reese impressed in her rookie season, averaging 13.6 points, 13.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.3 steals across 34 games while logging 32.5 minutes per game and shooting 39.1% from the floor. She finished as runner-up to Caitlin Clark in the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year voting.  Now, with a clean bill of health and the Sky aiming for a postseason push, Reese’s return couldn’t come at a better time.   Her rebounding dominance and emerging offensive skills will be pivotal to Chicago’s playoff hopes in what promises to be one of the most competitive WNBA seasons yet.  Reese’s message is clear: the offseason focus is over, and basketball is back at the center of her world.