On to the WNBA! South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso drafted No. 3 overall

Welcome to the WNBA, Kamilla Cardoso.

The Chicago Sky drafted Cardoso No. 3 overall during the first round of Monday night’s WNBA Draft in New York City, giving the former Gamecocks star a new professional home a week after she helped the South Carolina women’s basketball team win its third national championship.

The Sky went 18-22 last season and enter 2024 with a first-year coach, former Louisiana Tech and WNBA star Teresa Weatherspoon.

Cardoso, USC’s 6-foot-7 starting center, was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2024 Final Four after averaging 18.5 points, 14 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game in wins over N.C. State in the semifinals and Iowa in the title game.

She was also named the 2024 SEC Defensive Player of the Year, a first-team All-SEC player and an All-American by various media outlets as coach Dawn Staley and the No. 1 Gamecocks finished the season a perfect 38-0.

“I had a goal to be here tonight and give my family a better life,” Cardoso said in an emotional interview with ESPN’s Holly Rowe after her selection.

Cardoso shared lengthy embraces with Staley, assistant coach Lisa Boyer and other members of USC’s staff after being selected No. 3 overall (the third-highest selection ever for a Gamecock).

Cardoso — a native of Brazil who started her college career at Syracuse — could have returned to South Carolina and used a fifth COVID year of eligibility but announced during USC’s NCAA Tournament run she’d be entering the WNBA after her senior season.

She finished her time in Columbia as a two-time national champion (Cardoso also backed up Aliyah Boston at center on USC’s 2022 title team) and averaged a career-high 14.4 points and 9.7 rebounds per game as a starter this season.

A fearsome presence in the paint, Cardoso shot 59.4% from the field as a senior at USC and 57.5% in her college career while blocking 263 shots (2.1 per game) in four years.

Most mock drafts had Cardoso getting drafted at either No. 3 or No. 4 in Monday’s draft held at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Cardoso joins a Sky franchise in rebuilding mode. The Sky have made five straight WNBA playoffs and won the title in 2021, but their coach and general manager, James May, resigned midseason last summer to accept an assistant coaching job with the NBA’s Toronto Raptors.

“This is actually going to be my first time in Chicago,” Cardoso said. “I’m really excited. I’ve heard really good things about it. You have some of the best pizzas. I’m excited to get there.”

ESPN analyst Andraya Carter said after Cardoso’s selection Monday night that she was a “perfect fit” for the Sky, whose coach, Weatherspoon, was a respected NCAA women’s head coach and NBA assistant.

“It means the most to me,” Cardoso said of the opportunity to play for 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.”

Cardoso will also have a friendly face in training camp as the Sky selected former LSU forward Angel Reese with the No. 7 overall pick of the draft later Monday.

South Carolina WBB’s draft history

A year after South Carolina produced a record-tying five picks in the 2023 WNBA Draft, Cardoso was the only Gamecock who entered the draft this year and will be the only former USC player selected.

Cardoso is the 19th all-time WNBA Draft pick from South Carolina and the 15th draft pick in the Staley era (since 2008). She’s also the 13th all-time first round pick (11th under Staley), and with her selection the Gamecocks have seen at least one player selected in eight of the last 10 WNBA drafts.

The star center also holds the distinction of being the third-highest draft South Carolina player ever. Boston (No. 1 to Indiana Fever in 2023), A’ja Wilson (No. 1 to Las Vegas Aces in 2017) and Alaina Coates (No. 2 to the Sky in 2017) are the only Gamecocks to be selected higher in a WNBA Draft.

South Carolina released a statement from Staley after Cardoso’s selection Monday night.

“When Kamilla first came in, she was kind of just taking everything in,” Staley said. “In Year Three, she ends her college career as a two-time national champion. And, if you’re patient enough, just like Kamilla was, when your time comes, you thrive.”

“She was one of the reasons why we were able to excel and be who we are and develop into the team that we became this year, to win a national championship. I’m super proud that Kamilla chose the University of South Carolina when she was making that transition to now when she’s making the transition from the University of South Carolina to the WNBA. She is well prepared.”

Cardoso — whose selection drew a shoutout from NBA legend Dwyane Wade, a member of the Sky’s ownership group — praised Staley in a news conference after her selection.

“She gets you ready for this level,” Cardoso said. “She gets you prepared for whenever you step to the next level, and, like I said, that just tells you everything about her. She gets you super prepared for the league.”

2024 WNBA Draft first round picks

• No. 1: Indiana Fever: Caitlin Clark, G, Iowa

• No. 2: Los Angeles Sparks: Cameron Brink, F, Stanford

• No. 3: Chicago Sky: Kamilla Cardoso, C, South Carolina

• No. 4: Los Angeles Sparks: Rickea Jackson, F, Tennessee

• No. 5: Dallas Wings: Jacy Sheldon, G, Ohio State

• No. 6: Washington Mystics: Aaliyah Edwards, F, UConn

• No. 7: Chicago Sky: Angel Reese, F, LSU

• No. 8: Minnesota Lynx: Alissa Pili, F, Utah

• No. 9: Dallas Wings: Carla Leite, G, France

• No. 10: Connecticut Sun: Leïla Lacan, G, France

• No. 11: New York Liberty: Marquesha Davis, G, Ole Miss

• No. 12: Atlanta Dream: Nyadiew Puoch, F, Australia