Kamilla Cardoso is expected to make her WNBA debut for the Chicago Sky on Saturday against the Indiana Fever.
And her return to the court will raise the stakes for one of the most highly anticipated rookie matchups of the season as Cardoso and teammate Angel Reese face off against the Fever’s Caitlin Clark at Gainbridge Fieldhouse (11 a.m., ESPN).
Cardoso, the No. 3 pick in this year’s draft, missed the first six games of her rookie season with a shoulder injury suffered in a collision during her preseason debut against the Minnesota Lynx.
Coach Teresa Weatherspoon said Cardoso was “pain free” as of Tuesday and spent the week reintegrating into contact during practice. Weatherspoon praised Cardoso for her work ethic while recovering from the early setback.
“I’m on Kamilla’s time,” Weatherspoon said. “We’re super excited to have her on the court. She’s excited to be back with a big smile on her face, and she puts a big smile on our face just because she’s out there and she’s pain free. That’s the most important thing. So we’re looking forward to having her back out there.”
During an Instagram Live session earlier in the month, Cardoso said the collision in the preseason game caused her shoulder to move into an unnatural position halfway down her arm, but she implored the coaching staff to allow her back into the game.
Cardoso said the injury didn’t hurt at the moment, but she woke the next morning in significant pain and struggled to move her arm at all.
“I was ready to play,” she said. “But the day after, I was like this — I can’t move. But it’s fine now.”
A 6-foot-7 center, Cardoso won’t spend much time toe to toe with Clark except for protecting the rim from the 6-foot guard’s slashing drives. But she will be matched up against a familiar face: fellow South Carolina alumna Aliyah Boston. Cardoso spent her first two years with the Gamecocks serving as Boston’s backup before stepping into the starting lineup as a senior.
