Kamilla Cardoso makes impact for Chicago Sky in anticipated WNBA debut
Former South Carolina women’s basketball standout Kamilla Cardoso made her WNBA debut Saturday in the Chicago Sky’s road game versus the Indiana Fever.
She scored 11 points and snagged six rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench against her former USC teammate Aliyah Boston and Final Four foe Caitlin Clark. Indiana won the game 71-70.
Cardoso admitted to reporters that she was “stressing” before the game and that she’s “never stressed before a game in my life.”
Asked why she felt stressed, Cardoso answered: “It’s my first game in the WNBA. That’s it.”
Chicago selected Cardoso with the No. 3 pick in the WNBA Draft on April 15. She sustained a shoulder injury in the first half of her preseason debut versus the Minnesota Lynx on May 3. She missed the Sky’s first six games of the regular season, which began about two weeks ago.
“She played great,” Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon said Saturday.
Cardoso became the 11th first-round and fifth top-five pick of the Dawn Staley era. Her selection came after a stellar senior season at South Carolina, which saw her help lead the Gamecocks to an undefeated season and a national championship, earning the Final Four Most Outstanding Player award along the way.
Boston on Saturday scored 10 points, had eight rebounds and blocked four shots in more than 34 minutes of action for Indiana.
Asked about a pregame moment between her and Boston, Cardoso said: “She was just giving me advice. That’s a sister right there. I’m going to forever love her, no matter if we play against each other or with each other. We’re always going to have the sisterhood.”
Chicago and Cardoso return home for their next game, where they’ll take on the New York Liberty at 8 p.m. Tuesday. The game can be streamed on NBA TV and WNBA League Pass.
