Guard Ariel Atkins, the newest addition to the Chicago Sky following a Sunday trade, will play for the Rose Basketball Club in their game against the Phantom on Monday, the league announced in a Monday tweet.
Atkins last suited up as a relief player for the Laces on Saturday. She would score 10 points and hit two of her five 3-point tries as the Laces would fall to the Lunar Owls in an 88-60 loss. She would play in 13 total minutes as she played in place of five players who sat out with injuries, including forward Alyssa Thomas and guard Jackie Young, according to USA Today Digital Producer Meghan Hall.
Guard Kahleah Copper is listed as out for the Rose of tonight's matchup with a right leg injury, Hall wrote in a Monday tweet. Forward Azura Stevens is doubtful with a leg injury of her own. Atkins may have to take on a larger scoring load for the Rose as Copper and Stevens are scoring a combined 29.2 points per game. Guard Chelsea Gray, who has been on a scoring tear in the month of February, is averaging a team-leading 18.3 points per game for one of Unrivaled's better scoring squads.
The matchup between the Rose and the Phantom could see an early test run of the newly-formed duo of Atkins and forward Angel Reese. Reese dominated in the Rose's last bout on Friday, where she logged 22 points and 21 rebounds as they took a much-needed victory over the Lunar Owls. Adding another prolific defender in Atkins will be needed in holding off guard Sabrina Ionescu, who dropped 32 points in the Rose's last game against the Phantom.
Atkins and the Rose will face the Phantom at 7:30 p.m. EST on Monday. The game can be viewed on TNT or streamed on Max.