Sky's Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese embrace 'finally' being teammates -- and they want to set a new tone on the boards

CHICAGO — When their names were announced as selections by the Chicago Sky on WNBA draft night, Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese shared one thought: finally.

Just weeks earlier, they were deadlocked in the paint in the SEC tournament championship game — swatting each other’s shots, locking arms as they jockeyed on the low block, laughing as they exchanged barbs during stoppages.

It wasn’t a friendly game, ending with a scuffle that resulted in multiple ejections. And when the pair was drafted by the same team barely a month later, the jokes were quick to follow.

But for both rookies, college basketball is already a lifetime ago. And LSU’s Reese and South Carolina’s Cardoso are confident in their newfound partnership — even if they steal a few boards from one another along the way.

“We’re going to be fighting over rebounds, I know that,” Reese joked. “I love that though. Being able to go in and battle, being able to have a teammate where every day I know she’s going to work hard and do whatever it takes at the basket. I’m a competitor and I know she’s a competitor too.”

Reese and Cardoso first faced off as freshmen in the Dick’s Sporting Goods High School Nationals. Since then their paths have crossed as peers and opponents — but never as teammates.

Many top NCAA women’s players build familiarity before they hit the WNBA during time with Team USA, but Cardoso represents Brazil in international play. Although both were selected to the McDonald’s All-American team in 2020, the game was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, costing them another chance to suit up on the same side.

Years of competition have built a shared respect for their ability to compete on the boards and around the rim.

“We’re going to do great things together on both ends of the floor,” Cardoso said. “She’s a great rebounder, I’m a great rebounder, we’re both great finishers around the rim and we also can pass the ball. I think it’s going to be really exciting to watch us together.”

Rebounding was a clear focus for the Sky front office in drafting both Cardoso (No. 3 pick) and Reese (No. 7) — especially after an underwhelming 2023 season in which the team finished ninth out of 12 teams with 33.3 rebounds per game.

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