Kamilla Cardoso

Brazilian basketball player (born 2001)

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Soares and the second or paternal family name is Cardoso.

Kamilla Cardoso

Cardoso with the Chicago Sky in 2025 (Sophmore)

No. 10 – Chicago Sky
Position| Center
League| WNBA
Personal information
Born|  (2001-04-30) 30 April 2001 (age 24)
Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Listed height| 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight| 215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High school| Hamilton Heights Christian Academy
(Chattanooga, Tennessee)
College|

* Syracuse (2020–2021)
* South Carolina (2021–2024)

WNBA draft| 2024: 1st round, 3rd overall pick
Drafted by| Chicago Sky
Playing career| 2024–present
Career history
2024–present| Chicago Sky
2024–2025| Shanghai Swordfish
Career highlights

* WCBA International Player of the Year (2025)
* WNBA All-Rookie Team (2024)
* 2× NCAA champion (2022, 2024)
* NCAA Tournament MOP (2024)
* WBCA Coaches' All-American (2024)
* Second-team All-American – AP (2024)
* First-team All-American – USBWA (2024)
* WBCA Defensive Player of the Year (2024)
* First-team All-SEC (2024)
* SEC Defensive Player of the Year (2024)
* SEC All-Defensive Team (2024)
* SEC Sixth Woman of the Year (2023)
* Second-team All-SEC (2023)
* FIBA AmeriCup MVP (2023)
* South American Championship MVP (2022)
* First-team All-ACC – Media (2021)
* Second-team All-ACC – Coaches (2021)
* ACC co-Defensive Player of the Year (2021)
* ACC Rookie of the Year – Media (2021)
* ACC All-Defensive Team (2021)
* ACC All-Freshman Team (2021)
* McDonald's All-American (2020)

Stats at Basketball Reference

Medals

Women's basketball
Representing  Brazil
FIBA AmeriCup
| 2023 Mexico |
| 2025 Chile |
| 2021 Puerto Rico |
South American Championship
| 2022 Argentina | Team

Kamilla Soares Cardoso (born 30 April 2001) is a Brazilian professional basketball player for the Chicago Sky of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played college basketball at Syracuse and South Carolina. She won two national championships with South Carolina in 2022 and 2024, and was named NCAA Tournament MOP in 2024. Cardoso was selected third overall in the 2024 WNBA draft by the Chicago Sky.

## Early life

[edit]

A native of Montes Claros, Brazil, Cardoso played high school basketball for Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in Chattanooga, Tennessee. As a senior, she averaged 24.1 points, 15.8 rebounds and 9.2 blocks per game. Cardoso was selected to play in the McDonald's All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic.[1] Rated a five-star recruit and the number five player in her class by ESPN, she committed to playing college basketball for Syracuse over offers from UConn, Ohio State, Mississippi State and South Carolina.[2] She was the highest-rated recruit in program history.[3]

## College career

[edit]

As a freshman at Syracuse, Cardoso was the team's starting center and averaged 13.6 points, eight rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game, becoming the first player in program history to win the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Freshman of the Year award.[3] She shared ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors from the league's coaches with Lorela Cubaj and was named first-team All-ACC by the Blue Ribbon Panel.[4] Following the season, Cardoso transferred to South Carolina.[3] As a sophomore, she was a reserve for Aliyah Boston, averaging 5.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game and helping her team win the national championship.[5] In her junior season, Cardoso averaged 9.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game off the bench. She was named Southeastern Conference (SEC) Sixth Woman of the Year and second-team All-SEC.[6]

On 7 April 2024, Cardoso was named the NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player following a dominant 15-point, 17-rebound performance in her team's 2024 national championship win.[7] Cardoso graduated shortly after the 2024 WNBA draft, having majored in psychology.[8]

## Professional career

[edit]

### WNBA

[edit]

#### Chicago Sky (2024–present)

[edit]

Cardoso was selected 3rd overall in the 2024 WNBA draft by the Chicago Sky.[9] In her first pre-season game against the Minnesota Lynx, Cardoso suffered a shoulder injury that caused her to miss the first six games of the 2024 WNBA season.[10] She made her debut on 1 June, posting 11 points and 6 rebounds off the bench in 18 minutes in a 70–71 loss to the Indiana Fever.[11] After the Sky starting center Elizabeth Williams suffered a season-ending knee injury, Cardoso was slotted into the starting lineup. On 8 June, she made her debut as a starter and recorded 13 points and 5 rebounds in 21 minutes in a 71–80 loss to the Atlanta Dream. Cardoso's season ended prematurely as she re-aggravated her shoulder injury and did not play in the last two games.[12] In her rookie season, Cardoso averaged 9.8 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks, and ranked second in the league (behind teammate Angel Reese) in offensive rebounds per game at 3.0. After the season, she was named to the WNBA All-Rookie Team.[13] In 2025, It was announced that Cardoso would be leaving the Sky temporarily to join Brazil for the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup.[14]

### Overseas

[edit]

Cardoso signed with the Shanghai Swordfish of the Women's Chinese Basketball Association for the 2024–2025 season. She was awarded the International Player of the Year for the 2025 season.[15]

## National team career

[edit]

Cardoso represented Brazil at the 2021 FIBA Women's AmeriCup in Puerto Rico. She averaged 9.9 points and eight rebounds per game, helping her team win the bronze medal.[16] Cardoso won a gold medal and earned MVP honors at the 2022 South American Basketball Championship in Argentina. She averaged 14.8 points, 11.4 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game in the tournament.[17] Cardoso led Brazil to a gold medal at the 2023 FIBA Women's AmeriCup in Mexico, where she was named tournament MVP and averaged 10.9 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. She recorded 20 points and 11 rebounds in a 69–58 win against the United States in the final.[18] Cardoso rejoined the national team as they sought a spot in the 2024 Summer Olympics through a qualifying tournament held in the Brazilian city of Belém. During the decisive game against Germany, Cardoso was fouled out after an altercation with Satou Sabally, leading to four free throws that led to a German win and Brazil's elimination.[19] She was still chosen for the tournament's all-star team, with averages of 15.3 points and 11 rebounds.[20] Cardoso was a silver medalist at the 2025 FIBA Women's AmeriCup, where fouls reduced her play time in the final against the United States to just 18 minutes, and was chosen to the all-star team, having led the tournament in efficiency, field goal percentage, rebounds, and blocks, and ranking fifth in points per game with 14.9.[21]

## Career statistics

[edit]

Legend  GP  | Games played  |  GS | Games started  |  MPG | Minutes per game  |  RPG | Rebounds per game

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

APG | Assists per game  |  SPG | Steals per game  |  BPG | Blocks per game  |  PPG | Points per game
TO | Turnovers per game  |  FG% | Field-goal percentage  |  3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage  |  FT% | Free-throw percentage
Bold | Career best  | °  | League leader
*  | Denotes season(s) in which Cardoso won an NCAA Championship

|

### WNBA

[edit]

#### Regular season

[edit]

Stats current through end of 2024 regular season

WNBA regular season statistics[22] Year  | Team  | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

2024 | Chicago | 32 | 29 | 27.4 | .521 | — | .726 | 7.9 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 9.8
Career | 1 year, 1 team  | 32 | 29 | 27.4 | .521 | — | .726 | 7.9 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 9.8

### College

[edit]

NCAA statistics[23] Year  | Team  | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

2020–21 | Syracuse | 24 | 23 | 23.5 | .576 | .000 | .602 | 8.0 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 2.7 | 1.8 | 13.6
2021–22*  | South Carolina | 32 | 0 | 13.3 | .553 | — | .717 | 5.1 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 5.4
2022–23 | South Carolina | 36 | 0 | 18.8 | .559 | — | .694 | 8.5 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 9.8
2023–24*  | South Carolina | 33 | 32  | 25.3 | .594 | 1.000 | .659 | 9.7 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 14.4
Career | 125 | 55 | 20.0 | .575 | .500 | .662 | 7.9 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 10.6

## Off the court

[edit]

### In popular culture

[edit]

In March 2024, ESPN+ announced their new original docuseries, Full Court Press would premiere in May 2024.[24] The series (from Peyton Manning's Omaha Productions and Words & Pictures) followed Cardoso, Iowa's Caitlin Clark, and UCLA's Kiki Rice throughout their 2023-24 season and postseason.[24][25]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Curtis, Mike (4 March 2021). "How Syracuse center Kamilla Cardoso went from high school phenom to ACC's best rookie, defender". The Post-Standard. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
2. ^ Emerman, Danny (7 November 2019). "Syracuse lands 5-star class of 2020 forward Kamilla Cardoso". The Daily Orange. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
3. ^ a b c Curtis, Mike (30 April 2021). "Former Syracuse women's basketball center Kamilla Cardoso transfers to South Carolina". The Post-Standard. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
4. ^ "ACC Women's Basketball Announces 2021 Award Winners". Atlantic Coast Conference. 2 March 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
5. ^ Cloninger, David (8 December 2022). "Gamecocks' Kamilla Cardoso chooses dominance after Dawn Staley sermon". The Post and Courier. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
6. ^ Fowler, Chapel (6 July 2023). "Who starts and who sits for South Carolina WBB? Early projections for 2023 season". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
7. ^ Feldman, Asher (7 April 2024). "Cardoso is tournament's most outstanding player". NBC News. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
8. ^ Opiyo, Cabral (20 May 2024). "IN PHOTOS: Chicago Sky rookies Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso, and Brianna Taylor celebrate graduation with the crew". Sportskeeda.
9. ^ "WNBA draft: Chicago Sky pick South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso at No. 3 and LSU's Angel Reese at No. 7". Yahoo Sports. 16 April 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
10. ^ Hruby, Emma (7 May 2024). "Injury Keeps Sky Rookie Kamilla Cardoso's from WNBA Debut". Just Women's Sports. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
11. ^ "Kamilla Cardoso makes her WNBA debut in Sky's 71-70 loss to Fever". Chicago Sun-Times. 1 June 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
12. ^ "Chicago basketball report: Kamilla Cardoso questionable for the Sky in final playoff push — and the young Bulls core camps out". Yahoo Sports. 17 September 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
13. ^ "Kamilla Cardoso's 2024 Season in Review". sky.wnba.com. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
14. ^ "Kamilla Cardoso leaves the Chicago Sky at the worst time, and Angel Reese can't hold back".
15. ^ "Kamilla Cardoso signs at Shanghai". www.latinbasket.com. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
16. ^ "Kamilla Soares (BRA)'s profile – FIBA Women's AmeriCup 2021". FIBA. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
17. ^ Wellbaum, Chris (6 August 2022). "South Carolina women's basketball: Kamilla Cardoso leads Brazil to a gold medal, captures MVP honors". Gamecock Central. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
18. ^ "Kamilla Soares honored as MVP, leads All-Star Five at Women's AmeriCup". FIBA. 10 July 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
19. ^ "A milestone moment: Germany qualifies to the Olympics for the first time". FIBA. 12 February 2024.
20. ^ Hendricks, Maggie (12 February 2024). "2024 FIBA Women's Basketball Olympic Qualifier Tournaments: Emma Meesseman, Gabby Williams and the other standout players". Olympics.
21. ^ "Dantas, Hidalgo headline FIBA Women's AmeriCup All Star 5 after Blakes". FIBA.
22. ^ "Kamilla Cardoso WNBA Stats". Basketball Reference.
23. ^ "Kamilla Cardoso College Stats". Sports-Reference. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
24. ^ a b Cowan, Garrett (18 March 2024). "SNL, sold out jerseys, TV records. Caitlin Clark could be catalyst for women's basketball". ESPN Press Room (Press release).
25. ^ Peterson, Chloe (16 April 2024). "SNL, sold out jerseys, TV records. Caitlin Clark could be catalyst for women's basketball". Indianapolis Star.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kamilla Cardoso.

* South Carolina Gamecocks bio
* Syracuse Orange bio

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Chicago Sky current roster

* 1 Williams
* 2 Van Lith
* 5 Reese
* 7 Atkins
* 9 Allen
* 10 Cardoso
* 11 Nurse
* 12 Onyenwere
* 21 Westbeld
* 22 Vandersloot
* 24 Banham
* – Coulibaly
* – Sivka
* Uzun

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Assistant coaches
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R. Wakama
T. Wright

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South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball 2021–22 NCAA champions

* 1 Zia Cooke
* 3 Destanni Henderson
* 4 Aliyah Boston (MOP)
* 5 Victaria Saxton
* 10 Kamilla Cardoso
* 12 Brea Beal
* 15 Laeticia Amihere
* 20 Sania Feagin
* 23 Bree Hall
* 25 Raven Johnson
* 44 Saniya Rivers

Head coach
Dawn Staley

Assistant coaches
Lisa Boyer
Jolette Law
Fred Chmiel

* v
* t
* e

South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball 2023–24 NCAA champions

* 0 Te-Hina Paopao
* 2 Ashlyn Watkins
* 5 Tessa Johnson
* 10 Kamilla Cardoso (MOP)
* 12 MiLaysia Fulwiley
* 20 Sania Feagin
* 21 Chloe Kitts
* 23 Bree Hall
* 25 Raven Johnson

Head coach
Dawn Staley

Assistant coaches
Lisa Boyer
Winston Gandy
Jolette Law

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NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player

* 1982: Lawrence
* 1983: Miller
* 1984: Miller
* 1985: Claxton
* 1986: Davis
* 1987: Edwards
* 1988: Westbrooks
* 1989: Gordon
* 1990: Azzi
* 1991: Staley
* 1992: Goodenbour
* 1993: Swoopes
* 1994: Smith
* 1995: Lobo
* 1996: Marciniak
* 1997: Holdsclaw
* 1998: Holdsclaw
* 1999: Figgs
* 2000: Ralph
* 2001: Riley
* 2002: Cash
* 2003: Taurasi
* 2004: Taurasi
* 2005: Young
* 2006: Harper
* 2007: Parker
* 2008: Parker
* 2009: Charles
* 2010: Moore
* 2011: Adams
* 2012: Griner
* 2013: Stewart
* 2014: Stewart
* 2015: Stewart
* 2016: Stewart
* 2017: Wilson
* 2018: Ogunbowale
* 2019: Jackson
* 2020: None
* 2021: Jones
* 2022: Boston
* 2023: Reese
* 2024: Cardoso
* 2025: Fudd

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WBCA Defensive Player of the Year

* 2007: Harding
* 2008: Fowles
* 2009: Risper
* 2010: Wright
* 2011: Griner
* 2012: Griner
* 2013: Griner
* 2014: Dolson
* 2015: E. Williams
* 2016: Jefferson
* 2017: G. Williams
* 2018: Nurse
* 2019: McCowan
* 2020: Richards
* 2021: Mack
* 2022: Burton
* 2023: Brink
* 2024: Cardoso
* 2025: Betts

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2024 WNBA draft

First round|

* Caitlin Clark
* Cameron Brink
* Kamilla Cardoso
* Rickea Jackson
* Jacy Sheldon
* Aaliyah Edwards
* Angel Reese
* Alissa Pili
* Carla Leite
* Leïla Lacan
* Marquesha Davis
* Nyadiew Puoch

Second round|

* Brynna Maxwell
* Nika Mühl
* Celeste Taylor
* Dyaisha Fair
* Esmery Martínez
* Kate Martin
* Taiyanna Jackson
* Isobel Borlase
* Kaylynne Truong
* Helena Pueyo
* Jessika Carter
* Elizabeth Kitley

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