Coach Tyler Marsh shares his opinion on the matter.
Chicago Sky's Angel Reese Decision Draws Honest Reaction From Head Coach originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Chicago Sky’s matchup against the Indiana Fever on Sunday will be extra special. The team announced Friday that it has teamed up with Mattel to hold the second annual Barbie Game Day at United Center as the Sky host the Fever in a highly anticipated rivalry matchup.
While there is no official partnership between Mattel and Chicago star Angel Reese, the 23-year-old’s connection to Barbie is well-known. After all, Reese earned her nickname as Bayou Barbie during her time with the LSU Tigers, and that evolved into Chi-Town Barbie after she was drafted by the Sky as the No. 7 overall pick in 2024.
In fact, Chicago even decided to use Reese’s photo for its Barbie Game Day announcement on Instagram.
No Reese for Barbie Game Day?
The hiccup, however, is that Reese might not even take the court Sunday. The two-time All-Star was forced to sit out Thursday’s blowout loss to the Seattle Storm due to a back injury, and, as of writing, she remains questionable to play against Indiana.
Head coach Tyler Marsh was asked about Reese potentially sitting out Barbie Game Day, which drew an honest statement from the rookie shot-caller.
"I think availability is the most important thing," he said Saturday. "I think the cool thing about it is you can still shine a light on the personality that Angel is, the person, the human that Angel is, whether she’s in a uniform or not.
“You can still show that appreciation for who she is, what she’s done and what she represents and means to a lot of people.”
Marsh also acknowledged the distinct possibility that Reese might be ruled out due to her lingering back issue.
”It will be cool to have that recognition for her whether she suits up or whether she doesn't,” Marsh continued. “Anytime that you're able to see her play in action is obviously a treat but at the same time, being able to be in the building to hopefully be entertained by a Chicago Sky game and still get the chance to represent Angel."
“You can still shine a light on the person—on the human that Angel is—whether she’s in uniform or not. You can still show that appreciation for who she is, what she’s done, and what she represents.”
— C. C.,Esq. (@ItsCwaysWorld) July 26, 2025
—Coach Tyler Marsh on Angel Reese participating in “Barbie Night” in light of… pic.twitter.com/18xF0WzqOV
Caitlin Clark Ruled Out Against the Sky
It is also worth noting that Caitlin Clark isn’t expected to play in Sunday’s game either. She, too, is dealing with an injury, and the Sky game will be the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year’s fourth consecutive game on the sidelines with a reaggravated right groin issue.
The Sky's decision to hold Barbie Game Day on Sunday would have been much more spectacular if Clark and Reese were on the floor — the team even transferred the venue from Wintrust Arena to United Center to accommodate a bigger crowd — but the show must go on regardless.
The game begins at 3 p.m. ET Sunday and will be televised on ABC.
Related: Chicago Sky Coach Shares Crucial Details on Angel Reese’s Injury
Related: Sophie Cunningham, Lexie Hull Make Their Presence Known in Chicago Ahead of Sky Clash
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
