South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso dazzled in red at WNBA Draft, ready for career in Chicago
Dazzled in red, ready for the windy city. Kamilla Cardoso's dream became a reality.
Cardoso was selected No. 3 in the 2024 WNBA draft on Monday by the Chicago Sky, just 24 hours after celebrating the 2024 championship title with the South Carolina women's basketball team in Columbia.
Moments after her name was announced at Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York, Cardoso looked back at the table with tears in her eyes, smiling at her mother and sister who flew in from Brazil to support her.
“I had a goal to be here tonight and give my family a better life," Cardoso told ESPN's Holly Rowe.
Cardoso moved to Tennessee when she was 15 to play high level basketball and has since won two national titles with the Gamecocks and now is ready to embark on a pro career.
"That was the dream but I didn't expect it, I am so proud that I am here right now and I know little Kamilla is also proud," Cardoso said.
The Chicago Sky
The Sky, coached by basketball great Teresa Weatherspoon, finished the 2023 season at 18-22, fifth in the WNBA Eastern Conference. Weatherspoon played for Louisiana Tech where she won a national title in 1988, played for two WNBA teams and was inducted in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.
"It means the most to me," Cardoso said of Weatherspoon. "Just tells me that I'm going to be in good hands, and I'm just excited to get there and get to work with her."
Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca said in a team release he was excited about Cardoso's arrival and added “she has everything we want at 6-foot-7. She is athletic, a great person, a great teammate, she comes from a winning program and we cannot wait to get her here to Chicago.”
CARDOSO'S GIFT South Carolina basketball star Kamilla Cardoso's gift, gratitude and grit ahead of WNBA Draft
Familiar faces heading to Chicago
With both the third and seventh pick in the 2024 draft, the Sky secured two of the most prolific forwards available, selecting Cardoso and LSU's Angel Reese.
"Two great players together, nobody is going to get any rebounds on us," Cardoso said with laughter.
The now rookie duo have endless history throughout their respective seasons in the SEC. They played most recently in the SEC championship game, where Cardoso was issued a one-game suspension following an altercation and Reese was called for an intentional foul after catching Cardoso with a high elbow.
Cardoso averaged 14.4 points and 9.7 rebounds and Reese averaged 18.6 points and 13.4 rebounds this season.
Despite going to high school nine hours away from one another, Reese and Cardoso first battled on the court in high school, before meeting in college after Reese transferred from Maryland to LSU and Cardoso left Syracuse for South Carolina.
"Now being able to be teammates is going to be amazing," Reese said.
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@gannett.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Kamilla Cardoso excited to join Chicago Sky, No. 3 pick in WNBA draft
