Chicago Sky Couldn't Hide Excitement After Star Returns From Temporary Leave

Chicago Sky Couldn't Hide Excitement After Star Returns From Temporary Leave originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

After a tough 81-79 loss to the Washington Mystics on Tuesday, Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky had a quick turnaround, facing Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings on Wednesday.

The Sky had been without center Kamilla Cardoso for the past four games, as she was away representing Brazil at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup. Her team made it all the way to the final in Nicaragua but fell to the USA, 92-84.

On Wednesday night, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 draft returned to the lineup. While Cardoso didn’t start, it didn’t take her long to get on the board. With 2:36 left in the first quarter and the Wings leading 12-10, Cardoso caught a pass down low from Elizabeth Williams and turned around for a layup.

The Sky posted a clip of Cardoso’s bucket on social media, clearly excited about her return.

"SHE’S BAAAAACK," the Sky said.

SHE’S BAAAAACK #skytownpic.twitter.com/kWMCQIOj79

— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) July 10, 2025

Chicago has struggled this season, entering the game with a 5-13 record. Still, having Cardoso out of the lineup was a big loss for a team trying to climb back into the playoff race.

The 6-foot-7 center came in third on the team in scoring, averaging 12.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.

Cardoso, 24, played her college basketball at South Carolina under Dawn Staley, winning two national championships and earning NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors in 2024. That same year, she was also named an AP Second Team All-American, first-team All-SEC and SEC Defensive Player of the Year.

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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 10, 2025, where it first appeared.