Guard Jamierra Faulkner watched the Sky play Team China in a scrimmage on Monday while sitting on a training table at Sachs Recreation Center in Deerfield. When she wasn’t in the gym, Faulkner was in the hallway with a trainer doing physical therapy.
Faulkner, who has been out since July with a torn ACL in her right knee, desperately wants to be back on the court with her teammates.
“There are so many times where a rookie would do something and I’m like, ‘I know what to do. I should be out there doing it,’ ” Faulkner said Tuesday. “But I just have to wait until it’s my time.”
Faulkner, who missed the entire 2017 season with a torn ACL in her left knee, has hit several speed bumps throughout her recovery. After repairing her torn ligament in July, she’s undergone two additional surgeries to remove excess scar tissue in order to give her more flexion in the knee.
“I have the flexion I need to play basketball,” Faulkner said. “But I want the flexion to be able to play with my kids when I get older some day. I’m just going to keep pushing myself.”
Faulkner, who is a backup to Courtney Vandersloot at point guard, was fitted for a brace earlier this week. Though she said her rehab has been “coming along really well,” Faulkner doesn’t expect to be medically cleared to play for another month.
Coach James Wade said he likely won’t put Faulkner on injury waivers, making her one of the 12 players on the roster.
“We’re just going to get her better and get her ready to comeback in June,” Wade said.