Kamilla Cardoso’s 2024 Season in Review

Kamilla Cardoso’s 2024 Season in Review

BIO:

Height: 6-7

Position: C

Years Pro: Rookie

College/Country: South Carolina/Brazil

Drafted: Chicago Sky (No. 3 overall in 2024)

TOP-10 ALL-TIME SKY FRANCHISE RECORDS:

No. 4 on Sky Rookie Points List (313)
No. 6 on Sky Rookie Points Per Game List (9.8)
No. 9 on Sky Rookie Assists List (54)
No. 2 on Sky Rookie Offensive Rebounds List (96)
No. 2 on Sky Rookie Offensive Rebounds Per Game List (3.0)
No. 2 on Sky Rookie Defensive Rebounds List (158)
No. 2 on Sky Rookie Defensive Rebounds Per Game List (4.9)
No. 2 on Sky Rookie Total Rebounds List (254)
No. 2 on Sky Rookie Total Rebounds Per Game List (7.9)
No. 2 on Sky Rookie Blocks List (46)
No. 2 on Sky Rookie Blocks Per Game List (1.4)
No. 2 on Sky Rookie Double-Doubles List (7)
No. 4 in Single Season Offensive Rebounds (96)
No. 4 in Single Season Offensive Rebounds (3.0)
No. 10 in Single Season Total Rebounds (254)
No. 10 in Single Season Total Rebounds Per Game (7.9)
No. 10 in Single Season Blocks (46)

TOP-10 ALL-TIME WNBA RECORDS:

No. 10 on Rookie Offensive Rebounds List (96)

2024 SEASON OVERVIEW: The No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 draft by the Sky, Kamilla Cardoso established herself as a key piece to Chicago’s future after a statistically strong rookie season. 

Overall, she averaged 9.8 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks on the season. She finished the year ranked second in the league in offensive rebounds per game at 3.0, which ranked only behind teammate Angel Reese. 

Cardoso missed the Sky’s first six games of the season due to an injury. Upon her return in a June 1 game against Indiana, Cardoso made an immediate impact off the bench with 11 points and six rebounds.

Cardoso was inserted into the starting lineup after her first three games, notching starts in her remaining 29 games of the season. She helped the Sky to a pair of key victories in June, including a career game in which she finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Indiana.

After the All-Star/Olympic break, Cardoso averaged 12.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.8 blocks while shooting 58.7% from the field and 80.9% from the free throw line in her 13 healthy games. She pulled down a career-high 14 rebounds in a win over Los Angeles on Aug. 17 and then set career highs in scoring twice in the span of five games (18 on Aug. 23 and 22 on Sept. 1).

She also set career highs for assists with six on Aug. 28 and notched a career-high five blocks twice.

For her efforts, Cardoso was named to the WNBA’s All-Rookie Team alongside Reese. Among rookies this season, she ranked first in blocks (46), first in field goal percentage (52.1%), third in double-doubles (seven), second in total rebounds (254) and second in offensive rebounds (96). 

2024 SEASON MILESTONES:

June 1 — Made her Chicago Sky debut, recording 11 points and six rebounds off the bench
June 8 — Made the first start of her career, recording a then-career high 13 points
June 12 — With Cardoso going for 10 points and nine rebounds and Reese going for 20 points and 10 rebounds against Connecticut, the duo became the first rookie pair to each have 10+ points and 9+ rebounds in the same game since Chiney Ogwumike and Alyssa Thomas both did so for the Sun in 2014.
June 16 — Recorded her first career double-double, going for 10 points and 10 rebounds
June 16 — Cardoso recorded six offensive rebounds against Indiana while Reese recorded five; Cardoso and Reese thus became the first Sky rookies in franchise history to each have 5+ offensive rebounds in the same game and are the first rookies to do so for any team since Joyner Holmes and Jocelyn Willougby in 2020 for New York
June 20 — Recorded a then-career high 11 rebounds
June 20 — With Cardoso’s 11 rebounds and Reese’s 18 rebounds, the duo became the pair of rookie teammates to have multiple games in which they record 10+ rebounds in the same game since Tina Charles and Kelsey Griffin did it for the Connecticut Sun in 2010. Reese and Cardoso also both recorded 10+ rebounds on June 16 against Indiana.
June 23 — Scored a then-career high 16 points in a win against Indiana
June 23 — Cardoso and Reese each recorded career highs in scoring on June 23 against Indiana, with Cardoso recording 16 points and 10 rebounds while Reese scored 25 to go along with 16 rebounds. Cardoso and Reese become the first rookie duo since 1998 to record double-doubles in multiple games.
June 23 — Cardoso and Reese became the fifth pair of teammates in WNBA history to each have at least 15 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 65.0% or better in the same game. It’s the first time a pair of rookies have done so.
July 7 — Recorded a then-career high four blocks against Seattle
July 10 — Pulled down 11 rebounds again versus Atlanta
Aug. 17 — Out of the All-Star/Olympic break, she had a career game against Los Angeles, finishing with 15 points (one shy of previous career high) and a career-high 16 rebounds
Aug. 17 — With Cardoso going for 15 points and 14 rebounds and Reese going for 14 and 11 against Los Angeles, it marked the 12th time in WNBA history two rookie teammates each had double-doubles in the same game. Cardoso and Reese account for the last four.
Aug. 23 — Set a then-career high with 18 points against Connecticut
Aug. 25 — Notched a career-high five blocks against Las Vegas
Aug. 28 — Approached a triple-double with 10 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high six assists while recording three blocks
Sept. 1 — Set her career high for points in a game with 22 points against Minnesota
Sept. 13 — Reached 300 career points against Minnesota