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If only the Chicago Sky as a collective played at the same level Kamilla Cardoso did as an individual.
If they had, perhaps they wouldn’t have finished with a record of 10-34, the franchise’s worst record since their 5-29 debut season of 2006.
Yes, some had their moments, but it was Cardoso that remained a constant presence, both in the paint and on the glass. In her second season, Cardoso averaged 13.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. She also started in 39 out of 40 games, only missing some games before the All-Star break to play for her home country of Brazil in the Women’s AmeriCup tournament. Furthermore, she finished the year with nine double-doubles, including a streak of six consecutive in August.
Her best performance came on June 24 against the Los Angeles Sparks. In that game, Cardoso scored a career-high 27 points, with 10 rebounds along with three assists and two blocks. Plus, she notched her first WNBA 3-pointer in that game. Although, the 3 was not quite as memorable as her heroic 3-pointer against Tennessee in the 2024 SEC Tournament semifinal, which allowed South Carolina to survive for the 74-73 win. That season, she, of course, was part of history as the Gamecocks finished the season undefeated and won the NCAA championship. She since has become the latest success story to come out of Dawn Staley’s laboratory at South Carolina, following A’ja Wilson and Aliyah Boston.
This year in Chicago was a far cry from the team standards set at South Carolina, but, on at the individual level, it was a significant improvement for Cardoso. Underutilized as a rookie, she finished her first season averaging 9.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. While those numbers were respectable, Cardoso wasn’t a real focal point of the Sky’s offense under former head coach Teresa Weatherspoon. That turned around this season under head coach Tyler Marsh.
Cardoso reflected on her growing offensive opportunities in her exit interview, telling Swish Appeal:
It means a lot to me. I think we had hard conversations as teammates, coaching staffs, about they needed more from me, and I think that was one of… one point of emphasis, going to the All-Star break. So I think I came back with a different mentality, and it means a lot to me to be able to play how I was playing. I know there’s much more space to grow, but I’m proud of myself for everything I did this year.
During the AmeriCup tournament, Cardoso’s consistency didn’t wane. She averaged 14.9 points per game as Brazil made it all the way to the semifinals. Among her individual performances included a 22-point and 16-rebound game against Puerto Rico. One would think that playing all that basketball—and in different time zones—could derail one’s game. But that wasn’t the case for Cardoso.
“Showing up every day, this is my job, that’s what I gotta do,” she said. “It don’t matter if I go overseas or if I’m here year-round, I just gotta show up every day and do my best, and I think that’s what I was trying to do.”
Off the court, Cardoso ventured out into the world of marketing, as she was featured in an ad for Covergirl alongside her Sky teammate Michaela Onyenwere.
Obviously, the future of the Sky remains in the balance, particularly as it relates to Cardoso’s battery mate in the post and fellow 2024 draftee Angel Reese. When things are going well, Cardoso and Reese can complement each other in interesting, impactful ways. The prospect of one without the other would certainly be hard to fathom.
Whatever happens from here, one thing is for sure: In the dark of the Sky, Cardoso has become a shining light.
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