.jpg) Cardoso with theChicago Sky in 2025 | |
| No. 10 – Guangdong Vermilion Birds | |
|---|---|
| Position | Center |
| League | WCBA |
| 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 |
|
| 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 |
| 2025–2026 | Guangdong Vermilion Birds |
| Career highlights | |
| |
Stats atBasketball Reference  | |
Kamilla Soares Cardoso (born 30 April 2001) is a Brazilian professionalbasketball player for theChicago Sky of theWomen's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and theGuangdong Vermilion Birds of theWomen's Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA). She playedcollege basketball atSyracuse andSouth Carolina. She won two national championships with South Carolina in 2022 and 2024, and was namedNCAA Tournament MOP in 2024. Cardoso was selected third overall in the2024 WNBA draft by the Chicago Sky.
A native ofMontes Claros, Brazil, Cardoso played high school basketball for Hamilton Heights Christian Academy inChattanooga, Tennessee. As a senior, she averaged 24.1 points, 15.8 rebounds and 9.2 blocks per game. Cardoso was selected to play in theMcDonald's All-American Game and theJordan Brand Classic.[1] Rated a five-starrecruit and the number five player in her class byESPN, she committed to playingcollege basketball forSyracuse over offers from UConn, Ohio State, Mississippi State and South Carolina.[2] She was the highest-rated recruit in program history.[3]
As a freshman at Syracuse, Cardoso was the team's startingcenter and averaged 13.6 points, eight rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game, becoming the first player in program history to win theAtlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Freshman of the Year award.[3] She shared ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors from the league's coaches withLorela Cubaj and was named first-team All-ACC by the Blue Ribbon Panel.[4] Following the season, Cardoso transferred toSouth Carolina.[3] As a sophomore, she was areserve forAliyah Boston, averaging 5.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game and helping her team win thenational championship.[5] In her junior season, Cardoso averaged 9.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game off the bench. She was namedSoutheastern Conference (SEC) Sixth Woman of the Year and second-team All-SEC.[6]
On 7 April 2024, Cardoso was named theNCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player following a dominant 15-point, 17-rebound performance in her team's2024 national championship win.[7] Cardoso graduated shortly after the2024 WNBA draft, having majored in psychology.[8]
Cardoso was selected 3rd overall in the2024 WNBA draft by theChicago Sky.[9] In her first pre-season game against theMinnesota Lynx, Cardoso suffered a shoulder injury that caused her to miss the first six games of the2024 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 theIndiana Fever.[11] After the Sky starting centerElizabeth 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 theAtlanta Dream. Cardoso's season ended prematurely as she re-aggravated her shoulder injury and did not play in the last two games.[12] Inher rookie season, Cardoso averaged 9.8 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks, and ranked second in the league (behind teammateAngel Reese) in offensive rebounds per game at 3.0. After the season, she was named to theWNBA All-Rookie Team.[13]
In the 2025 season, Cardoso appeared in 40 games, starting 39. On 24 June, she scored a career-high 27 points in a 97–86 win against theLos Angeles Sparks. She then missed the next four games to join Brazil for the2025 FIBA Women's AmeriCup.[14] Overall, inher second season, she averaged 13.6 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game (all career-highs).[15][16]
Cardoso signed with theShanghai Swordfish of theWomen's Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA) for the 2024–25 season. She was awarded the International Player of the Year for the 2025 season.[17]
Cardoso signed with theGuangdong Vermilion Birds of the WCBA for the 2025–26 season.[18]
Cardoso representedBrazil at the2021 FIBA Women's AmeriCup in Puerto Rico. She averaged 9.9 points and eight rebounds per game, helping her team win the bronze medal.[19]
Cardoso won a gold medal and earned MVP honors at the2022 South American Basketball Championship in Argentina. She averaged 14.8 points, 11.4 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game in the tournament.[20]
Cardoso led Brazil to a gold medal at the2023 FIBA Women's AmeriCup in Mexico, where she was namedtournament 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 theUnited States in the final.[21]
Cardoso rejoined the national team as they sought a spot in the2024 Summer Olympics through aqualifying tournament held in the Brazilian city ofBelém. During the decisive game againstGermany, Cardoso was fouled out after an altercation withSatou Sabally, leading to four free throws that led to a German win and Brazil's elimination.[22] She was still chosen for the tournament's all-star team, with averages of 15.3 points and 11 rebounds.[23]
Cardoso was a silver medalist at the2025 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.[24]
| 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 anNCAA Championship |
Stats current through end of 2025 regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Chicago | 32 | 29 | 27.4 | .521 | .000 | .726 | 7.9 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 9.8 |
| 2025 | Chicago | 40 | 39 | 27.6 | .528 | .500 | .724 | 8.5 | 2.5 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 2.4 | 13.6 |
| Career | 2 years, 1 team | 72 | 68 | 27.5 | .526 | .500 | .724 | 8.3 | 2.1 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 11.9 |
| 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 | |
In March 2024,ESPN+ announced their new originaldocuseries,Full Court Press would premiere in May 2024.[27] The series (fromPeyton Manning'sOmaha Productions and Words & Pictures) followed Cardoso, Iowa'sCaitlin Clark, and UCLA'sKiki Rice throughout their2023-24 season andpostseason.[27][28]
