The Chicago Sky find themselves in a tricky spot as the regular season winds down, with only three games left. Currently tied in record with the eighth-seeded Washington Mystics, it’s the head-to-head matchup that has them sitting just outside of playoff contention in ninth place. Looking back at their last ten games, it’s clear the team has struggled, managing to win only twice during that stretch.

Nevertheless, the Sky need to stay mentally tough as they prepare to host the Phoenix Mercury, a team that’s already handed them two tough losses this season. To make matters worse, Chicago’s injury list keeps growing. Just a week after losing Angel Reese for the season, another rookie might also be sidelined for their next game. This time it’s Kamilla Cardoso!

Kamilla Cardoso added to Sky’s injury list

The Chicago Sky’s latest concern revolves around rookie center Kamilla Cardoso. She put up an impressive performance against the Minnesota Lynx, scoring 16 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. She seemed fine during the game and no injury updates were announced afterward. However, recent reports suggest that Cardoso may not be fully fit, raising questions about her status moving forward.

The Underdog WNBA, known for providing timely injury updates and lineup alerts, recently took to X to share news about Kamilla Cardoso. The tweet read, “Kamilla Cardoso (shoulder) questionable for Sunday.” Although it’s unclear when Cardoso sustained the injury, it appears she’s been dealing with shoulder discomfort.

Losing Kamilla Cardoso would be a significant setback for the Sky, especially since she’s been delivering strong performances lately. While she’s averaged 10 points per game this season, she’s been even more impressive recently, scoring an average of 14.6 points over her last six games. The 23-year-old center was poised to fill the gap left by Angel Reese, standing just behind her in rebounds with an average of 8.1 per game. Well, this will not be the first time Cardoso will be forced to sideline from the game.

Kamilla Cardoso: Overcoming injury to shine in rookie debut

The South Carolina grad has made a notable impact in her rookie season with the Sky, appearing in 31 games and starting 29 of them. However, her league debut was slightly delayed, with her first appearance in a Sky jersey coming in June. Cardoso’s debut with the Chicago Sky was pushed back due to a right shoulder injury she picked in a pre-season game against the Minnesota Lynx in early May.

The team announced that their No. 3 overall pick, Kamilla Cardoso, will be sidelined for at least 4-6 weeks due to her injury. This same injury kept her out of the first six games of her rookie season. Nevertheless, Cardoso quickly made a positive impact on the team post her recovery. “I feel like I’m coming back. The game is coming. I’m trusting the process, letting the game come to me and going with the flow,” said Cardoso at that point.

In her debut game, Kamilla Cardoso showcased her skills impressively, playing 18 minutes off the bench against her former college teammate, Aliyah Boston of the Fever. Sky head coach Teresa Weatherspoon didn’t hesitate to put Cardoso in a critical role, and she responded brilliantly, scoring 11 points on 71.4% shooting and grabbing six rebounds. Despite the Sky losing by just one point, Cardoso made a significant impact, finishing with a game-high plus-11.

All this together narrates how valuable Cardoso is to the team. If she had to sit out for the game against Mercury, the Sky might be left with nine available options on their roster with Angel Reese, Elizabeth Williams, and Diamond DeShields already out with an injury.

As the Sky face crucial games with their playoff hopes hanging by a thread, the potential loss of Kamilla Cardoso adds to their mounting challenges. But they have one advantage, Phoenix Mercury had to play in front of the Sky fans at Wintrust Arena, who will definitely leave no stone unturned to cheer for their team.