Kamilla Cardoso is set to make her WNBA debut for the Chicago Sky this Saturday, facing the Indiana Fever in Indianapolis.
This match will feature one of the most anticipated rookie showdowns of the season, as Cardoso and teammate Angel Reese take on the Fever’s Caitlin Clark at Gainbridge Fieldhouse (11 a.m., ESPN).
Cardoso, the third overall pick in this year’s draft, missed the first six games of her rookie season due to a shoulder injury sustained in a preseason game against the Minnesota Lynx.
Coach Teresa Weatherspoon reported that Cardoso was “pain-free” as of Tuesday and had been reintroducing herself to contact practices throughout the week. Weatherspoon commended Cardoso’s dedication during her recovery.
“I’m on Kamilla’s time,” Weatherspoon said. “We’re thrilled to have her back on the court. She’s excited and all smiles, which brings us joy because she’s pain-free. That’s what matters most. We’re eager to see her play again.”
In an earlier Instagram Live session, Cardoso explained that her shoulder was unnaturally displaced during the preseason collision but she insisted on continuing to play. Although she didn’t feel pain immediately, she woke up the next day with severe pain and limited mobility.
“I was ready to play,” she recounted. “But the next day, I couldn’t move. Now it’s fine.” Standing at 6-foot-7, Cardoso will primarily be protecting the rim from the 6-foot guard Clark’s drives. She will also be up against a familiar face, South Carolina alumna Aliyah Boston. Cardoso spent her first two years at South Carolina as Boston’s backup before taking on a starting role in her senior year.
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