Another weekend, another sellout, another blockbuster in the making. But this one comes with a twist. While the Caitlin Clark vs Angel Reese headline wrote itself, Saturday’s showdown might be missing one half of Chicago’s frontcourt punch. So now, we ask: Is Kamilla Cardoso playing against the Indiana Fever on June 8th? And if not, what’s really going on?
Because when a player’s absence might change the whole rhythm of a game — people start paying attention.
Here’s what we know. Officially, Cardoso is listed as day-to-day on ESPN. Not because of injury — not this time. She’s healthy. She’s averaging 11.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and building chemistry under new Sky head coach Tyler Marsh. In fact, her 23-point, 8-rebound explosion on May 29 was a reminder of why she was a top-four pick in 2024.
But availability? That’s a different story.
Cardoso is expected to miss multiple games this summer — and three of her five scheduled matchups with Clark’s Fever — due to international duty with Brazil. She’s one of the headline names suiting up for the 2025 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup in Chile. The tournament runs June 28 to July 6, right in the middle of the WNBA grind. And travel isn’t light either. With the Sky playing in Golden State the day before the AmeriCup tips off, and in Washington just two days after it ends, it’s likely Cardoso will miss the entire road trip.
That includes June 8th ? Maybe. Maybe not. There’s been no official word from the Sky, but what’s raising eyebrows is the fact that she’s been visibly absent from practices. As reporter Karli Bell pointed out on June 5: “In the portion media’s been allowed to watch, we still have not seen any Kamilla Cardoso action.”
In the portion media’s been allowed to watch, we still have not seen any Kamilla Cardoso action. pic.twitter.com/r8IFM0cGLC
— Karli Bell (@KarliBell33) June 5, 2025
For Cardoso, these absences don’t come easy. It’s been a decade since she left Brazil to pursue hoops in the U.S. — first in Tennessee for high school, then on to Syracuse, before emerging as a national champion at South Carolina under Dawn Staley. The distance hasn’t been lost on her.
“I miss them 24/7,” she told FIBA in a recent feature. “Sometimes when I’m in class, I think about them and I just cry. Missing them is the hardest part. But I was like, ‘I want to do this for real, not just for fun.’ I knew that coming to the United States, I’d get a great education, play basketball and do something I love.”
That love now means showing up for her country. And while fans in Chicago might want her to stay put for every second of the W season, Cardoso’s decision to rep Brazil — after battling shoulder injuries and foul trouble last year — is a testament to just how far she’s come.
And now the game’s in flux. Clark is still rehabbing her quad strain, sidelined since May 24. She’s not suiting up tonight either. But the Fever are 1-0 without her and Kristy Wallace, and if they can pull off another win over the Sky, that’s a statement.
But the question lingers — will Cardoso be there to answer it?
Caitlin Clark is out, Kamilla Cardoso is uncertain — both teams could be missing key stars in Game 2.
At this point, we’re in the dark. But if she’s not lacing up for Game 2 against Indiana, her absence will be felt in the paint — and possibly in the box score too.
But things might be even worse on the Fever’s side.
Because while Chicago may be down a star due to national duties, Indiana’s dealing with bruises that hit closer to home — literally. First, there’s Sophie Cunningham, who’s officially day-to-day with a right ankle injury. According to head coach Stephanie White, it’s going to be a wait-and-see approach.
“It’s going to be a day-to-day thing just to see how she recovers,” White said after Tuesday’s practice. “It’ll all depend on the training staff to tell me what she’s capable of doing every day.”
Chicago, USA, September 6, 2024: Angel Reese 5 Chicago Sky and Kamilla Cardoso 10 Chicago Sky speaks with eachother during the game between the Chicago Sky and Los Angeles Sparks on Friday September 6th, 2024 at Wintrust Arena, Chicago, USA. NO COMMERCIAL USAGE Shaina Benhiyoun/SPP PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxBRAxMEX Copyright: xShainaxBenhiyoun/SPPx spp-en-ShBe-8P6A1046
Cunningham’s injury came late in the preseason finale against Atlanta — a game the Fever won, but at a cost. She landed awkwardly on Rhyne Howard’s foot while chasing down a rebound, immediately hobbling off toward the bench. Trainers examined her ankle, and while she tried jogging on the baseline, she didn’t finish the game. She left the court under her own power, but with a noticeable limp — and later, in a walking boot.
That alone would be a concern for Indiana. But the bigger blow? Caitlin Clark is still out.
She’s been sidelined since May 24 after putting up 18 points and 10 assists in a narrow loss to the New York Liberty. What she thought was just post-game soreness turned out to be a left quad strain, confirmed by an MRI. Clark isn’t one to sit still — and this injury has tested her in ways she didn’t expect.
“I love practice. I love getting better,” she said on June 5. “I think that’s just kind of been the time for me to, like, really find some patience. And I’ve never been a patient person my entire life, so this is definitely testing me a little bit… but I think it’s going to be really good for me.”
Clark admitted she’s still not sure exactly when the injury occurred, guessing it happened at some point during that Liberty game. But one thing she is sure of? She’s not rushing the comeback.
“I feel like I’ve made a lot of progress, and I feel good,” she said. “I’m not going to rush back if it’s not worth it. But after this weekend I’ll be reevaluated, and we’ll have a better idea of when I’m returning.”
So, for the June 7 matchup against Angel Reese and the Sky — no CC. No Sophie, most likely. And maybe no Kamilla either?
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