Kamilla Cardoso units a display for Chennedy Carter, stays on the high of the important thing for a second after which rolls to the basket. Carter rewards the work by dishing the ball again to Cardoso within the put up, and she or he finishes robust, incomes her the primary factors of her WNBA profession.
These factors have been years within the making and will’ve come earlier for the Brazilian nationwide. Nevertheless, a shoulder harm in preseason delayed her WNBA debut till June 1 versus the Indiana Fever. In her first recreation, her affect was computerized and instant. She scored 11 factors on 5-for-7 capturing within the Chicago Sky’s defeat. It isn’t simply her scoring that impressed from the beginning; Cardoso pulled down six boards towards the Fever and is averaging that many per recreation as a rookie, inserting her because the third-highest in her class.
The debut was overdue, however her arrival was proper on time. Cardoso was drafted by the Sky at No. 3 general within the 2024 WNBA Draft, with Angel Reese chosen by Chicago quickly after at No. 7. The pair are ushering on this new period of Skytown basketball within the Metropolis of Wind.
With their two towers in place, Chicago has an opportunity to retool, moderately than rebuild, and rapidly return to the highest of the WNBA. In the event that they accomplish that, will probably be as a result of Cardoso is main the cost, scoring in bunches, cleansing up the glass and serving as an elite rim protector, identical to she did at South Carolina.
It is solely been a handful of video games for Cardoso, however she’s already proven why she was taken so excessive in a draft that is been thought of one of the best in latest reminiscence. Cardoso is effectively conscious of the place she excels, and that is contained in the paint. She is capturing 50 % from the sphere and has solely taken two photographs from exterior of that space. In a league the place it is more and more about stretching the ground and capturing from the skin, Cardoso has proven a capability to be dominant by making use of strain on the rim. Defensively, her rim safety has already stood out, as she’s adjusted effectively to playing to contest and realizing when to not be too aggressive—one thing her peer, Cameron Brink, nonetheless struggles with.
With Cardoso’s two-way play and Reese’s offensive explosiveness, the Sky are presently sitting at eighth within the WNBA standings. Whereas they aren’t juggernauts on this league, they could be very quickly. The Las Vegas Aces, Connecticut Solar and New York Liberty might have now, however the Sky are rapidly up subsequent. Cardoso has arrived, and as soon as she settles in and performs extra video games, all indicators level to her lifting the Sky again to the highest of the WNBA hierarchy.
The Sky might not contend in 2024, however for now, Cardoso and Reese are must-see TV, and will probably be thrilling to look at them start this rise to the highest.
