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The Chicago Sky drafted an outstanding rookie tandem before the start of the 2024 WNBA season. Chicago selected former South Carolina women's basketball center Kamilla Cardoso and ex-LSU star Angel Reese with their top-10 picks. Cardoso's professional debut was delayed by a shoulder injury, but she has been promising since joining the lineup in early June. Head coach Teresa Weatherspoon noted what Cardoso's next step will be amid her promising start.
“She's getting the looks. Now it's about finishing,” Weatherspoon said before Sunday's Storm game. “It's about getting the position you want, getting to your spots and finding it. It's about strength and power under the basket, with the way post players are today. Getting to your spot, getting your base, and finishing with power.”
Through 14 games, Kamilla Cardoso averages 8.2 points and 7.8 rebounds. She has shot 44.3 percent from the field and will be an even bigger threat once she becomes more efficient. Teresa Weatherspoon agreed.
“[Cardoso's improved efficiency is] going to help us tremendously. She's a force. Once you dominate the paint, it opens things up more for us,” Weatherspoon added.
Cardoso was dominant with the South Carolina women's basketball program, especially during her last two years. During the 2022-23 season, Cardoso averaged 9.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game. Then, she took her game to another level during her senior year. The 6'7″ center amassed collegiate career-high averages of 14.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, and shot .59 percent from the field along with 1.5 blocks.
Cardoso helped the Gamecocks to their third national title in eight years in 2024 after their 87-75 win over Catilin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes. As Teresa Weatherspoon mentioned, Cardoso has plenty of room to grow, and she is excited about her future with Chicago.
Cardoso is looking forward to her development with the Sky
Cardoso and Angel Reese faced their former college rival when the Sky played the Indiana Fever on June 24. Chicago pulled off a thrilling 88-87 victory over Caitlin Clark's Fever squad, with Cardoso and Reese both earning doubled-doubles. Cardoso got vocal on her future alongside Reese after the rookie duo's stout performance.
“I’m so excited. I think our future is bright, and I’m so proud of her and everything she’s doing out here,” Cardoso claimed during the June 20 postgame press conference. “Angel’s been good since college. Her game’s translating really well, and I’m picking up on that too. I want to be a rebounder and to be able to make layups.”
Furthermore, Cardoso claimed matchups between the Sky and Fever are good for the WNBA.
“I think it's two great teams with a whole lot of great players. Everybody's good in their own way. I'm just really happy with the attention it's bringing to the league. The amount of people that we were able to bring out was amazing.”
The South Carolina women's basketball product looks forward to more intense matchups with her new WNBA counterparts. In the meantime, Cardoso will take Teresa Weatherspoon's reflection to heart and keep growing in her role. In time, Cardoso and Angel Reese could become the league's most dominant frontcourt pairing.
