The Chicago Sky put their two first-round picks to maximum use in the 2024 WNBA Draft, selecting South Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso and LSU forward Angel Reese.
Cardoso was selected at No. 3 after an incredible career at South Carolina, which culminated with the Gamecocks going undefeated and winning a national championship earlier this month.
The 6-foot-7 Cardoso scored 14.4 points and hauled down 9.7 rebounds per game in her final collegiate season. She also averaged 2.5 blocks per game, playing as one of the most versatile centers in the game.
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With that No. 7 pick, the team took Reese, the skilled forward who helped lead the Tigers to a national title in 2023 and an Elite Eight berth this season. She averaged 18.6 points and 13.4 rebounds per game, with the latter good for second in all of college basketball.
Just a few weeks ago, Cardoso and Reese were battling it out in the SEC Tournament Championship, but there appears to be no bad blood between the two star athletes.
"I think it's gonna be great," Cardoso said in her post-draft press conference. "She's a great player, I'm a great player. So two great players together. Nobody's gonna get no rebounds on us."
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Reese is just as fired up about the frontcourt pairing.
"I'm just so excited I get to play with Kamilla," she told Holly Rowe after she was selected by the Sky. "I've been playing against her since high school."
Later on at her press conference, Reese elaborated about her history with Cardoso at the amateur level.
"My first time playing Kamilla was on one of the biggest stages of my life, which was when she played for Hamilton Heights and I played for St. Frances in high school and we battled," Reese said. "Now, being able to be teammates is gonna be amazing."
The Sky begin their preseason schedule May 4 against the Minnesota Lynx. Their regular season kicks off in Dallas against the Wings on Wednesday, May 15, and they'll play their home opener at Wintrust Arena on Saturday, May 25 against the Connecticut Sun.