Sky's Angel Reese will undergo wrist surgery on Tuesday and will be in a cast for six weeks

Angel Reese could have waited and continued playing despite the pain. But that would have likely cost him dearly, doctors warned.

One of the best rookies from the 2024 draft therefore decided to undergo surgery.

Reese, the Chicago Sky's No. 7 player and the league's leading rebounder with 13.1 rebounds per game, announced Sunday that she would sit out the rest of the season.

The culprit: a hairline fracture in her left wrist, which, if not treated immediately, could lead to a complete fracture.

Chicago coach Teresa Weatherspoon remained vague Sunday when asked about Reese's injury before the Sky faced Dallas, a game both teams needed to win as they battle for the final playoff spot. Although Reese was not available to the media on Sunday before or after the Sky's 92-77 victory — in which Reese loudly cheered on her teammates from the bench — she later shared details on social media.

The injury Reese sustained against the Sparks on Friday, Sept. 6, when she took a hard fall after an and-one, is now so minor that doctors “gave me the option to keep playing,” Reese said. But they warned her that if she went down that path, she could have arthritis problems almost immediately, which Reese said was “not an option.” There's also the possibility that the tear could quickly grow and completely shatter the bone.

Reese decided it wasn't worth it.

“I want to have a long career in the league,” she said. “I'll play basketball for a while.”

More: Caitlin Clark on Angel Reese's season-ending wrist injury: “It's definitely devastating”

She'll have surgery on Tuesday, September 10 – doctors will put a screw in her bone – and will wear a hard cast for four weeks, followed by a soft (and removable) cast for two weeks. While rehabbing her wrist, Reese said she'll be “working on weight lifting, running, conditioning, throwing with the other hand, dribbling with the other hand and working on her diet.” She joked that she'll also “still be modeling, podcasting and being a baddie.”

She also plans to continue cheering on her teammates as they battle for the eighth and final playoff spot. The Sky's victory over Dallas — an impressive move considering they lacked Reese's performance — knocked the Wings out of the playoff race. Chicago, Atlanta and Washington will battle for the eighth and final playoff spot. The Sky (13-22) host Washington (11-24) on Wednesday.

Reese had a stellar rookie year, leading the league in rebounding and contributing 13.6 points, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Her dominance on the boards – she set a new single-season record for rebounds with 446 – makes a strong case for calling Reese Rookie of the Year, although that honor is expected to go to Caitlin Clark. Reese also set a record for most consecutive double-doubles (15). She was a 2024 All-Star and fittingly recorded a double-double in the All-Star Game when Team WNBA defeated the 2024 Olympic squad.

Reese said on social media that she did a “great job” in her first year in the league, but admitted, “I wanted more.” Still, she said, “God's schedule is better than mine, that's why I'm so optimistic. I've been through this before.”

She described the injury as a “small setback” that will lead to a “big comeback” next season.

Email Lindsay Schnell at [email protected] and follow her on social media @Lindsay_Schnell

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Angel Reese injured: WNBA star to undergo wrist surgery to avoid arthritis