Year two for the Chicago Sky’s bigs, but still, there’s almost no hope for a playoff berth. The team’s struggles have been amplified with Angel Reese—the squad’s engine and leader in both rebounds and assists—sidelined for the sixth consecutive game due to a back injury. Without their Chi-town Barbie, the Sky have stumbled to a 1–8 record, including their latest 71–62 loss to the Connecticut Sun, a game they were leading at one point. Yet, amid the frustration, a silver lining has emerged—and her name is Kamilla Cardoso!

It’s not just about the 24 points she dropped in this game for the 8–24 Sky; it’s about how she’s slowly sliding into Reese’s aggressive role, filling the void left behind. Teammate Rachel Banham summed it up perfectly after the game, unable to hold back her praise for the sophomore’s dominance.

“We really rely on her to be aggressive down low, and when she does that, it frees up stuff for us too. Because she’s a good passer, she can hit us outside when she gets double or triple-teamed. So we really need that from her, but I thought she played really well… being so aggressive today,” Banham said in the post-game press conference.

And the veteran wasn’t exaggerating as Cardoso finished with nine rebounds, three assists, and an impressive 24 points on 10–19 shooting from the field and 4–5 from the line. Well, the 23-year-old Brazilian native’s dominance isn’t new. She has already cemented her spot as one of the league’s best rebounders, ranking fifth in boards per game. Her recent streak of seven straight double-doubles was only snapped last Thursday, when the Atlanta Dream controlled the glass with relentless rebounding.

So, you know why even Sky head coach Tyler Marsh couldn’t help but highlight her recent form: “She was aggressive on the offensive glass as well, even though she didn’t come up with a ton. She was aggressive just drawing attention there.” It’s that kind of presence, paired with her towering frame, that makes her a constant threat. In fact, this has been her identity since her rookie year.

Remember when she scored 14 of her 23 points in the first half against Dallas earlier this season, establishing deep post position and finishing through contact? That performance helped the Sky take a three-point lead into halftime, 49–43 and right after that game, Marsh praised her, “She was aggressive from the jump… We’ve been trying to help her tap into that consistently — and tonight, she was the difference early.”

Marsh has relied on her for the offense to run through right from the season’s start, and Cardoso has stood tall. And that edge has only sharpened over time. Even last year, as a rookie, she made waves by blocking A’ja Wilson five times in a single game—a feat that had then-head coach Teresa Weatherspoon publicly praising her toughness. Fast forward a year, and now Cardoso has evolved into the team’s much-needed interior engine in Reese’s absence!

Reese’s influence still looms large… but Cardoso’s here! 

Ever since Courtney Vandersloot went down with an ACL tear, Reese has been the Sky’s cornerstone. She’s not just leading the league in rebounds; she’s built a reputation as one of the most aggressive players in the game. Even NBA legend Dwyane Wade has called her a “more aggressive Draymond Green.”

Reese herself has never shied away from that label. As she once put it: “Everything that comes off the board is mine.” That mindset fueled her historic rookie season, where she set the single-season record for rebounds (446) and notched 26 double-doubles across 34 games.

And, she carried that dominance into 2025 too, but her momentum was halted by this back injury. And for now, the Sky have no timeline for her return as Marsh put it simply: “I leave that to the medical. I think for us, and for Angel, if she’s healthy, she wants to play and we want her to be out there… We just don’t want to put her in harm’s way to further any existing injury. And so for us, it’s just making sure that she’s as healthy as possible. That’s always been the most important thing.”

But, with Reese sidelined, there’s been an urgent need for someone to shoulder the team’s physical identity, and Cardoso appears to be that player—embracing contact, controlling the paint, and showing flashes fearless style. Still, while her impressive play is undeniable, it hasn’t yet translated into wins. The Sky have dropped four of their last five games, and the playoff picture looks grim. But if there’s any hope left for Chicago, it rests on whether Cardoso can keep channeling that edge—and whether the Chi-town Barbie herself can make a timely return.