NEWSLETTER
Chicago Sky fans will have to wait a while to see the organization’s recent top-3 pick in action.
According to Annie Costabile of the Chicago Sun-Times, rookie Kamilla Cardoso will miss 4-6 weeks with a shoulder injury. The recent national champion from South Carolina sustained the injury against the Minnesota Lynx in the team’s first preseason game. Cardoso clocked only 13 minutes of action in her WNBA debut, scoring 6 points (3-6 FG) and grabbing 4 rebounds.
Even more frustrating, the No. 13 overall pick Brynna Maxwell will also miss extended time. The sharpshooter out of UConn will need 3-4 weeks on the sideline after playing roughly 6 minutes against Minnesota.
The good news is that No. 7 overall pick Angel Reese walked away from the preseason opener healthy. She also dropped 13 points on a 9-10 performance from the free throw line to go along with 9 rebounds.
Sky Will Miss Cardoso
Still, there is no denying that the absence of Kamilla Cardoso will be felt over the first month or so of the season. The Sky spent their top pick on the six-foot-seven center for a reason. The team allowed the single-most points in the paint per game last year and finished with the fourth-worst REB% in the league. Cardoso was going to be a big part of fixing those problems from the jump.
The Sky will now have to lean heavily again on Elizabeth Williams. The slightly undersized veteran started 40 games for the Sky last season, averaging 9.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Angel Reese will likely also have an even longer leash to help protect the paint and clean the glass.
Regardless, Cardoso felt like the kind of instant-impact player who could help Chicago get off to an even better start than expected. This is especially true when we consider their early-season slate. Things start tough with two straight against a Dallas Wings team that went 22-18 last season. They’ll then see the star-studded New York Liberty – featuring Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones, and Breanna Stewart – and a frisky Connecticut Sun squad.
If Cardoso can return on the early side of her timeline, she could be back by the team’s second meeting with the New York Liberty on June 4 (missing eight games). If she needs the full six weeks, however, we’re looking at June 20th’s meeting with the Dallas Wings (missing 13 games).
The Sky’s season officially tips off on Wednesday, May 15. They have one more preseason battle left against the Liberty on Tuesday.
