Less than a week after their first meeting of the 2026 season, the Minnesota Lynx and Chicago Sky will face off again on Saturday afternoon. Their matchup is set for 1 p.m. ET at Wintrust Arena and will be broadcast on CBS and Paramount+. This is the first of a record 20 WNBA games that CBS will broadcast this summer.
Minnesota reached the WNBA Finals in 2024 and the semifinals last year, but lost key pieces, including frontcourt stalwarts Alanna Smith and Jessica Shepard, in free agency. Kayla McBride, Courtney Williams and Napheesa Collier are the key returners, but Collier has been out recovering from ankle surgery. The Lynx, currently 3-2 overall, are coming off a dominant 100-72 home victory over the Toronto Tempo on Thursday night.
Chicago, also 3-2 overall, is looking to bounce back from Wednesday’s 99-89 loss to the Dallas Wings. In 2025, the Sky tied for the WNBA’s worst record at 10-34 overall, but the front office completely retooled the roster in the offseason, beginning with trading Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream for draft picks and trading Ariel Atkins to the Los Angeles Sparks for Rickea Jackson, who unfortunately suffered a season-ending ACL tear earlier this week. The Sky’s noteworthy additions include veterans Skylar Diggins and Natasha Cloud, as well as the No. 5 overall pick Gabriela Jaquez.
Here is what you need to know ahead of Saturday’s game.
Where to watch Minnesota Lynx vs. Chicago Sky
Date: Saturday, May 23 | Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Wintrust Arena — Chicago, IL
TV: CBS | Stream: Paramount+
Last meeting
The Lynx are 30-20 in the all-time series, but the Sky are 1-0 so far this season. Chicago picked up an 86-79 victory in Minnesota when they met last Sunday. That was a statement game for Jaquez, who lifted her team to victory with a career-high 20 points and eight rebounds. Meanwhile, Kamilla Cardoso was another standout with a double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds.
McBride led Minnesota with 20 points, while Howard and Williams added 17 a piece. Minnesota rookie Olivia Miles, the No. 2 overall pick, contributed with 13 points, six rebounds and four steals.
While it was a good win for the Sky, even with Diggins sitting out with an eye injury, the team lost a valuable piece of their roster that night. Rickea Jackson went down with a non-contact injury during the second quarter. She was eventually diagnosed with a torn ACL and the team announced she will be out for the remainder of the season. Jackson was leading the Sky’s offense with 18 points per contest through the first four games of the 2026 campaign.
Rookies showing out
Jaquez and Miles have been two of the most impressive newcomers so far, and both made the first CBS Sports rookie rankings of the season.
Miles, the No. 2 overall pick, hit the ground running and has scored in double digits in each of her first five WNBA games. That is the longest rookie streak in franchise history since Seimone Augustus in 2006, per ESPN Insights. Having her as the starting point guard has allowed Courtney Williams to play her natural position as a shooting guard. Coach Cheryl Reeve has been impressed by Miles’ court vision and her ability to manipulate defenders. The former Notre Dame and TCU guard is averaging 15.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.5 steals and one block per game.
Jaquez was the No. 5 overall pick shortly after winning the 2026 NCAA Tournament with UCLA. She was one of six Bruins selected in the draft, which set a new WNBA record for most players from a single program. So far, Jaquez has lived up to the hype, averaging 12.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and one steal per game. She is a versatile guard who can contribute on both sides of the court with her scoring efficiency, rebounding instincts and her ability to defend multiple positions. Her performance against the Lynx was the best one of her young career, so it will be interesting to see how she does this time around.
Napheesa Collier has not returned
Collier has been one of the top WNBA MVP candidates the past two seasons, but so far, the Lynx star has not played in 2026. She sprained her right ankle during the 2025 regular season and missed three weeks because of it. She then suffered a Grade 2 tear of three ligaments in her left ankle and a muscle in her shin during the 2025 WNBA Semifinals against the Phoenix Mercury.
Collier had surgery on her right ankle in January and on her left ankle in March, which consequently led her to miss the entire 2026 Unrivaled season. The good news is that if her recovery stays on track, Minnesota expects her to make a return to on-court activities in early June.
