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Two years ago, the Chicago Sky envisioned building a frontcourt of the future by teaming up two top-10 picks who had a bitter collegiate rivalry.
By drafting Kamilla Cardoso third overall and Angel Reese with the seventh pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, the Sky were betting on size, rebounding and post scoring to get them back to the playoffs. The plan didn't work -- Chicago went just 23-61 in the two seasons Cardoso and Reese played together, and Reese was dealt to the Atlanta Dream earlier this month in a blockbuster trade.
MORE: ESPN takes a stance in Angel Reese rivalry with Caitlin Clark
The trade did give Reese and Cardoso an opportunity to get reacquainted on Wednesday, when the Dream visited the Sky at Wintrust Arena for a preseason showdown. Cardoso landed a big-time block on Reese that drew plenty of cheers from the crowd -- and bolstered the South Carolina product's case as one of the WNBA's best emerging bigs.
— WNBA (@WNBA) April 29, 2026To that point, ESPN has ranked Cardoso 34th on its list of the 50 best players in the WNBA.
That ranking, published Thursday, features high praise for Cardoso from reporter Kareem Copeland, who writes that the 6'7'' Brazilian might be the "biggest beneficiary" from the Reese trade, as it will afford her more room in the paint.
"(Cardoso's) points nearly increased by four per game in 2025, while her rebounds and assists both ticked upward. The 8.5 rebounds ranked No. 5 in the league," Copeland writes. "Her shooting percentage has surpassed 52.0% in both seasons, and she took three more shots per game last season (10.6)."
If Cardoso makes a leap in 2026, it's likely that Chicago's competitive timeline will change. That could put her in direct opposition to Reese and the Dream's goals -- winning a maiden championship -- in the next couple of years
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