​DiJonai Carrington set for emotional Sky debut against former team after long injury absence originally appeared on The Sporting News.
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.DiJonai Carrington is expected to make her Chicago Sky debut Thursday night against the Connecticut Sun, the franchise that selected her in the 2021 WNBA Draft. The Chicago Sky could finally be ready to unveil one of their biggest offseason additions.Veteran guard DiJonai Carrington plans to make her season debut Thursday night against the Connecticut Sun, barring a setback during pregame warmups, according to ESPN’s Alexa Philippou. Carrington has missed Chicago’s first 27 games while recovering from a left foot injury that required offseason surgery. Her expected return gives the Sky a much-needed boost as they attempt to reverse the direction of a disappointing season.It also comes against the team with which Carrington began her WNBA career, adding another layer to an already important night.DiJonai Carrington preparing to make Sky debutChicago signed Carrington to a one-year contract during the offseason, but the 28-year-old has been unable to play while completing her rehabilitation. That wait appears to be over.Breaking: Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington plans to make her season debut on Thursday barring a setback pregame, she told ESPN. The 2024 Most Improved Player and first-team all-defensive pick — who missed the first 27 games of the year rehabbing a left foot sprain — will… pic.twitter.com/UnAQ3dp7PF— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) July 30, 2026Carrington has made enough progress to put herself in position to face Connecticut, although her availability will not become official until she gets through her pregame work without an issue. The Sky will likely be cautious with her workload after such a lengthy absence. Carrington has not appeared in a WNBA game since last season, making it unrealistic to expect her to immediately handle a full complement of minutes.Even in a limited role, however, her energy and defensive intensity could make a noticeable difference. Chicago entered Thursday with a 9-18 record and back-to-back losses. The Sky have struggled to find consistency while dealing with injuries throughout the season, leaving the team at the bottom of the WNBA standings.Carrington’s return will not solve every problem overnight, but it gives Chicago another experienced perimeter defender and an aggressive player capable of attacking the basket.Carrington faces the team that launched her WNBA careerThursday’s opponent is especially familiar to Carrington. The Sun selected her with the No. 20 overall pick in the second round of the 2021 WNBA Draft. She spent four seasons in Connecticut and developed from a reserve into one of the league’s most disruptive guards.Her breakthrough came in 2024, when Carrington averaged a career-high 12.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.6 steals. That performance ear