WNBA News & Fantasy Basketball Notes 6/1

Jun 1st 2024

Ryan Schwepfinger

Each day, this column will provide live updates for all WNBA news. Enjoy up-to-the-minute alerts for injuries and lineup confirmations. The Key News to Watch section will highlight notable injuries to monitor for the current WNBA slate.

Key WNBA News to Watch

  • Kamilla Cardoso (shoulder) — Available

  • Isabelle Harrison (knee) — Probable/Available

  • Diamond DeShields — Out

Follow us on Twitter at @Underdog__WNBA for notifications.

Chicago Sky News

Confirmed Lineup: Dana Evans, Marina Mabrey, Michaela Onyenwere, Angel Reese, Elizabeth Williams

  • Kamilla Cardoso (shoulder) — Available

  • Isabelle Harrison (knee) — Probable/Available

  • Diamond DeShields — Out

Cardoso is on the verge of making her WNBA regular-season debut. She was confirmed to be targeting this game for her return after suffering a right shoulder injury during the preseason. The third overall pick in the draft out of South Carolina, Cardoso is one of the tallest players in the league at 6'7". She'll likely start her career as the backup center behind Williams.

Indiana Fever News

Confirmed Lineup: Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, Kristy Wallace, NaLyssa Smith, Aliyah Boston

  • Erica Wheeler (personal) — Available

  • Temi Fagbenle (foot) — Injured

  • Damiris Dantas (knee) — Injured

The Fever dropped to 1-8 on the season with a loss Thursday to Seattle. It was their first game without Fagbenle, who is out for at least two-to-three weeks with a foot injury. Smith's return to the starting lineup went well, as she led Indiana with 23 points while adding 10 rebounds. Grace Berger did close ahead of Wallace, however, and was a team-high +5, so it's worth wondering if coach Sides is considering another change to her starting lineup for this contest.

Although Clark is putting up impressive numbers, she continues to struggle with efficiency and turnovers. After seven turnovers against the Storm, she leads the WNBA in that category at a whopping 5.7 per game, 1.5 ahead of the next-closest player (Alyssa Thomas). Conversely, her current averages of 17.6 points, 6.6 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game would stand alone in history if she sustained them for the duration of the season. No first-year player in WNBA history has ever put up those numbers over their full rookie campaign.