“I think we have a great connection. Four, five, the skyscrapers. I always selfishly say I give her the best passes. I try to encourage her, I’m like, ‘Kill, you can kill everybody that’s in front of you,’ and sometimes I like to try to get her going, and pushing her and pushing her.” That was Angel Reese speaking about her chemistry with Kamilla Cardoso—the towering frontcourt duo Chicago was banking on ahead of the new W season. The hype was real. Fans expected fireworks from the “skyscrapers.” But so far, that spark hasn’t fully ignited. The results haven’t matched the expectations. And now, frustrations are starting to bubble to the surface.
The Sky have dropped both of their opening games this season– and it’s not just the losses, it’s how they’ve happened that’s raising alarms. They opened the year with a brutal 35-point blowout at the hands of the Indiana Fever. Then, in their home opener, they fell by 25 to the defending champions, the New York Liberty. Back-to-back double-digit losses, including one in front of their own fans? It’s safe to say the Windy City franchise is in deep trouble.
Facing two of the WNBA’s elite, the Fever, with Caitlin Clark’s all-around playmaking, and the Liberty, with Breanna Stewart’s versatility, hasn’t helped, but it’s a harsh wake-up call for a team still figuring out its identity.
Angel Reese’s early-season struggles have been hard to ignore–and they’ve now become a major talking point for Sky fans. In the game against the Liberty, she went 0-for-8 from the field. But beyond the missed shots, what stood out even more was the visible tension between her and Kamilla Cardoso.
In the first quarter, Reese repeatedly tried to finish at the rim but came up empty. Cardoso was wide open on the play, yet never got the ball—leading to what looked like a moment of frustration from the rookie center. Later in the game, Cardoso again called for the ball but didn’t get it, and her body language said it all. Is it just growing pains? Or is something bigger bubbling under the surface?
ANGEL REESE IS A HOOPER. pic.twitter.com/y7iZpf5KF7
— NBACentel (@TheNBACentel) May 23, 2025
There’s no real reason to think there’s any tension between Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso. What happened during the Liberty game looked more like in-game frustration than anything deeper. It’s normal–these players are competitors, and emotions can run high when things aren’t going their way. The bigger issue here is Chicago’s offense. The Sky built this year’s roster around the idea of letting their frontcourt shine.
To do that, they brought in experienced, defense-first players like Courtney Vandersloot, Ariel Atkins, Kia Nurse, and Rebecca Allen. But without Chennedy Carter, their best offensive option from last season, the scoring load looks heavier than expected for Reese and Cardoso. Through two games, the duo has combined for just 25 points. That’s not ideal, and unless things shift soon, the Sky’s game plan may need a serious rethink. Coach Tyler Marsh also weighed in on his frontcourt situation, and he had some interesting thoughts about Kamilla Cardoso.
Head coach not too concerned about Kamilla Cardoso’s performance
Cardoso made 52.1% of her field-goal attempts last season and earned All-Rookie honors alongside Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark. But this season hasn’t started the same way. She went just 3-of-9 from the field on Saturday and followed that up with a 3-of-8 performance against New York. Coach Tyler Marsh had his say on her recent form.
“I think that she’s gotta continue to impose her will on the defense as well, because she’s a load down there, and she can be extremely effective in causing a lot of attention to create other things, opportunities for our shooters and other players on the floor with her,” Marsh said.
There’s no doubt that Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese are the cornerstones of the Chicago Sky. And yes, they haven’t delivered just yet. But to be fair, they kicked off their season facing the two teams who will be in the battle for the championship come September! So, if you’re a Sky fan, there’s no need to hit the panic button. The talent is there. The chemistry will come. Many believe it’s only a matter of time before these two start clicking and lead the Sky to wins.
The post All Is Not Well in Chicago as Kamilla Cardoso’s Visible Frustration Follows Angel Reese’s “Skyscraper” Praise appeared first on EssentiallySports.
