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Chicago Sky’s Kamilla Cardoso Shares Emotional Reaction to Setback on Temporary Leave originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
On Sunday, Brazil fell to the United States, 92-84, in the final of the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup in Santiago, Chile, settling for silver after a tightly contested championship game.
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The Americans overcame a two-point deficit early in the fourth quarter with a decisive 7-0 run, ultimately securing their fifth continental crown and a direct berth to the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.
Brazil’s 24‑year‑old center Kamilla Cardoso turned in another impactful showing despite the loss.
In just 18 minutes of action, she posted 19 points on 5‑of‑8 shooting, along with five rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block.
Cardoso reflected on the defeat and sent a message to her fans on Monday via her Instagram.
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“I’m devastated. Really. But my heart is also full of pride in this [expletive] team! Each girl gave everything she had. I know that the pain will pass, and we will come back stronger… Thank you to everyone who cheered for us. And to the fans: sorry for not having the title come. But stay with us… this National Team will still make a lot of history. 🇧🇷❤️,” Cardoso captioned her post (translated).
A native of Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil, Cardoso starred at Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in Tennessee before beginning her collegiate career at Syracuse (2020-21) and transferring to South Carolina (2021-24).
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She helped lead South Carolina to NCAA titles in 2022 and 2024, earning Most Outstanding Player honors in the 2024 Final Four.
Selected third overall by the Chicago Sky in the 2024 WNBA Draft, she averaged 9.8 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game en route to a spot on the 2024 All‑Rookie Team.
Chicago Sky forward Kamilla Cardoso (10).Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
With Cardoso stepping away to fulfill her national‑team duty, Chicago went 1-2 over that stretch, including a recent 80-75 defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday.
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Now that the AmeriCup obligation has concluded, Cardoso is set to rejoin the lineup and hopefully help turn the Sky’s season around.
Related: Lexie Hull Shares Honest Take on Playing Without Caitlin Clark
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
