As Vandersloot returns, Sky lose another key player to injury

Just five games into the season, the Sky (3-2) has lost two key players for an extended period.

The team announced Thursday guard Rebekah Gardner underwent surgery on her foot and will be out indefinitely. She joins forward Isabelle Harrison, who had knee surgery before the regular season began, on the sideline.

"It's undetermined how long (Gardner) is going to be out, but I wouldn't expect her anytime soon," Sky coach James Wade said after Thursday's practice in Deerfield. "It's going to be awhile. Don't expect to see either one of them back anytime soon."

There was better news on forward Morgan Bertsch. She'll miss Friday's home game against the New York Liberty with an ankle sprain, but is expected back soon. The 6-foot-4 Bertsch, a WNBA rookie who has played professionally overseas, started the first three games.

"Morgan's maybe a week or two," Wade said. "I don't think it's going to go any further than that. She was on the bike and doing some stuff today."

With the Liberty (3-1) visiting Wintrust Arena, it means a homecoming for longtime Sky point guard Courtney Vandersloot. She played for the Sky from 2011-22, is the franchise leader in games played (359), assists and steals, and is the No. 2 career scorer, trailing her wife Allie Quigley by 52 points.

Vandersloot signed with New York as a free agent last winter and won a women's EuroLeague title in April with new teammate Breanna Stewart on Turkish club Fenerbahce.

"I've got so much respect for Sloot," Sky forward Kahleah Copper said. "Her coming back to Chicago, this was home for her for so many years. So the city's going to welcome her, but once we hit the floor, it's go time."

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