Where is Kamilla Cardoso from? Hometown, college, more to know about Brazilian roots

Ahead of the 2025 WNBA season beginning, the league will go through its preseason schedule. Rather than having only the teams squaring off against each other in tune-up exhibition games, the league got a little creative. 

The Sky are set to duke it out with Brazil's women's national basketball team. The matchup was announced in January, as the WNBA is hoping to host some of the preseason games at college campuses of its most high-profile players. With Angel Reese and newly drafted Hailey Van Lith in tow, Chicago will head to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to take on Brazil on LSU's campus.  

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While Reese and Van Lith are the focal point of the matchup, it will be important for another Sky player. Forward Kamilla Cardoso will have a special tie to this game. 

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Where is Kamilla Cardoso from?

Cardoso was born in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil. She spent 15 years in Brazil before moving to Chatanooga, Tennessee. One of the reasons for the move was that she realized how talented she was at basketball, and her future prospects looked better if she went to high school and college in the U.S. with hopes of making the WNBA. 

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Where did Kamilla Cardoso go to college?

Cardoso was a McDonald's All-American as a senior in high school. She was considered a five-star prospect and ranked top-five in the Class of 2020. With offers from UConn, Ohio State, South Carolina and Mississippi State, Cardoso committed to Syracuse. She became the highest-rated recruit the Orange had ever had for women's basketball. She played for Syracuse for only one year. 

Despite not committing to them out of high school, Cardoso transferred to South Carolina. She started out backing up Aliyah Boston, but won the 2022 and 2024 national championships with the Gamecocks. Cardoso was drafted with the third overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Sky. 

Kamilla Cardoso stats

Here are Cardoso's per-game WNBA stats.