Injury News: Aerial Powers suffers ankle injury, Cappie Pondexter and Moriah Jefferson still in concussion protocol
Dallas Wings forward Aerial Powers suffered a setback in her mission to return to the court on Monday, injuring her ankle in practice. She did not travel to Chicago with the team for its game against the Sky on Wednesday and is expected to miss 2-4 weeks.
Powers has not played yet this season as she recovers from offseason hip surgery. She had been inching closer to a return, which could have come relatively soon, before the latest setback.
Powers appeared in 32 games games for the Wings last year, primarily off the bench. She posted 10.4 points and 2.7 rebounds per game, while also shooting 37 percent from three.
Pondexter also out
Though the Wings will be without Powers, the Sky will be shorthanded as well. Chicago announced on Wednesday that Cappie Pondexter is still under the WNBA’s concussion protocol and did not give a timeline for her return.
Pondexter initially entered concussion protocol last week and also missed Chicago’s game on Saturday — a 24-point upset over the Minnesota Lynx. She last played on June 30.
The 12-year WNBA veteran is averaging 12 points and a career-high 5.9 assists per game.
The Sky and Wings will square off at 12:30 p.m. ET in a game that will stream live on Twitter.
Jefferson still not ready to return
Moriah Jefferson is still in concussion protocol and will miss the San Antonio Stars’ game against the Indiana Fever on Wednesday. There is currently no specified timeline for her return.
The noon tip in Indianapolis will be the second straight game that Jefferson has missed after suffering a head injury in the Stars’ loss to the Connecticut Sun on July 5. She was posting 10.8 points and 4.5 assists per game in her second season in the league.
Johnson day-to-day
Shenise Johnson is day-to-day with a left knee injury and will not play in Wednesday’s game, according to the Indiana Fever.
Johnson is coming off back-to-back strong games in Indiana losses to Connecticut and Atlanta, in which she averaged better than 18 points. This season, the guard is averaging career per-game highs in points, steals, and assists, and is shooting 95 percent from the line.