Chicago Sky Single Out Player Performance Despite Loss to Caitlin Clark-Less Fever originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Chicago Sky suffered their fifth straight loss on Sunday. To make matters worse, the defeat came at the hands of their biggest rivals, the Indiana Fever, who were missing the services of reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark due to injury.
After Sunday’s loss, the Sky are now down 0-3 on the season against Indiana.
Sky Dealing With Injury Crisis
Angel Reese was a late scratch for Chicago in this one as the two-time All-Star was forced to sit out with a back injury. This was Reese’s second straight game on the sidelines, and it remains unclear if she will be able to suit up when the Sky return to action on Tuesday against the Washington Mystics.
Joining Reese in Chicago’s lengthy injury report for the Fever matchup were Ariel Atkins, Moriah Jefferson and Hailey Van Lith. Courtney Vandersloot also remains out after suffering a season-ending ACL injury in June.
Rachel Banham Shines in Fever Loss
The lack of personnel only meant that the rest of the players on the squad had to step up. It was veteran guard Rachel Banham who answered the call for Chicago.
The 32-year-old went off for a season-high 26 points on 8-of-15 shooting. Banham knocked down six triples in the game, to go along with one rebound, five assists and a block in 36 minutes of action.
After the game, the Sky singled out Banham’s performance by naming her the Player of the Game.
“RACHEL BANHAM CLINIC,” the team posted on Instagram.
Banham has been in the starting lineup since mid-June, and she has responded by providing quality minutes for head coach Tyler Marsh’s rotation. There’s no denying, however, that Sunday’s performance was Banham’s best outing of the season.
The 5-foot-10 guard will want to keep her foot on the gas for Tuesday’s game in Washington, especially if Reese and a couple of other players remain out.
Related: “Screw It”: Chicago Sky Veteran Reveals Team’s Mindset After Brutal Fever Loss
Related: Cameras Catch Caitlin Clark’s Immediate Message After Fever Beat Sky
Related: Chicago Sky Coach Shares Crucial Details on Angel Reese’s Injury
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 28, 2025, where it first appeared.