Lynx and Sky clash in Chicago as WNBA broadcast record begins

The Minnesota Lynx and Chicago Sky are set to meet for the second time in the 2026 WNBA season on Saturday, May 23, at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. The contest, scheduled for 1 p.m. ET, will be broadcast on CBS and streamed on Paramount+. This matchup marks the first of a record 20 WNBA games that CBS will broadcast this summer, highlighting the league's expanding media footprint.

Both teams enter the fixture with identical 3-2 records, though their recent form and roster availability differ significantly. The Lynx are coming off a dominant 100-72 home victory over the Toronto Tempo on Thursday. Conversely, the Sky are seeking to rebound from a 99-89 defeat to the Dallas Wings on Wednesday. The Sky’s front office has undergone a substantial overhaul since tying for the league’s worst record in 2025, trading key assets such as Angel Reese and Ariel Atkins to rebuild the roster.

A major factor in the Sky’s current standing is the absence of forward Rickea Jackson, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear earlier in the week. Jackson had been averaging 18 points per game through the first four matches of the 2026 campaign. Her injury occurred during the teams’ previous meeting on Sunday, where she went down with a non-contact injury in the second quarter. Despite the loss, Chicago secured an 86-79 victory in that contest, driven by a career-high 20 points and eight rebounds from rookie Gabriela Jaquez.

Minnesota’s challenges are centred on the absence of star forward Napheesa Collier, who is recovering from ankle surgeries. Collier had surgery on her right ankle in January and her left ankle in March, causing her to miss the entire Unrivaled season. While she has not played in 2026, the Lynx expect her to return to on-court activities in early June, pending her recovery progress. In her absence, the Lynx have relied on contributions from Kayla McBride, Courtney Williams, and rookie point guard Olivia Miles.

Miles, the No. 2 overall pick, has scored in double digits in each of her first five WNBA games, marking the longest such streak for a Lynx rookie since Seimone Augustus in 2006. She is averaging 15.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game. Jaquez, the No. 5 overall pick from UCLA, is averaging 12.4 points and 5.6 rebounds. The two rookies, who recently featured in the first CBS Sports rookie rankings of the season, are expected to be pivotal in determining the outcome of Saturday’s game.