Chicago Sky v Connecticut Sun - Source: Getty — "They know what to do": Kamilla Cardoso sends special message to Dawn Staley's Gamecocks ahead of championship showdown against UConn - Source: Getty

"They know what to do": Kamilla Cardoso sends special message to Dawn Staley's Gamecocks ahead of championship showdown against UConn

Modified Apr 05, 2025 11:02 GMT

WNBA star Kamilla Cardoso was in attendance at Amalie Arena as her alma mater South Carolina beat the Texas Longhorns 74-57 on Friday in the Final Four. She's eager to see them win the national championship and sent the team a special message ahead of their showdown with UCLA in the final.

In a post-game interview with Chaz Frazier, Cardoso was asked what message she wanted to pass on to the Gamecocks.

"I think they did a great job today, and Sunday, just be themselves", Cardoso said. "Play the game that South Carolina plays, share the ball, play together, and have fun out there. Because they're built for moments like this, so they know what to do."

The Chicago Sky star also revealed how she felt watching her alma mater play in a high-stakes game while praising the players in the current team.

"It means the most. I'm very excited. It's a little sad because I wish I was there with them, but I'm super proud of every single one of them girls."

Expand Tweet

Kamilla Cardoso played college basketball for Syracuse and South Carolina, winning the NCAA championship two times (2022 & 2024) with South Carolina.

She won the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and was named to the SEC All-Defensive Team in 2024, eventually getting picked third overall by the Chicago Sky in the WNBA Draft that year.

Kamilla Cardoso starred in China during the offseason

After the end of the 2024 WNBA season, Kamilla Cardoso spent a part of her offseason in China, playing in the Chinese women's basketball league for the Shanghai Swordfish.

Expand Tweet

She competed in 38 matchups, including six playoff games, averaging 20.2 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists, shooting 64.7 percent. In January, Cardoso put up a top performance in a 94-80 win over Hebei Win Power, dropping 37 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists

Before playing in China, the 23-year-old center competed against the Brazilian women's team at Louisiana State University. The game was meant to honor her and teammate Angel Reese, who's an alumna of the school. As the 2025 season draws nearer, Cardoso will look to impress more in her sophomore year.

About the author

Peter Okereke is a WNBA writer & analyst for Sportskeeda. Since his first foray into online journalism in 2019, Peter has written hundreds of articles on Football and Basketball.
His most recent stint was at FirstSportz, where he wrote extensively on the NBA and the WNBA. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Port Harcourt and uses his analytical skills to enhance his creativity in sports journalism, especially in basketball.

Coming from a predominantly football nation, Peter is a die-hard Chelsea fan but fell in love with basketball after watching Kobe Bryant and LeBron James create magical moments in the NBA. This fandom is reflected in his writing, allowing him to share engaging stories and connect with fans around the world with factual insights and relatable narratives. He holds a strong, often controversial opinion that the Los Angeles Lakers are the greatest team in the NBA and that LeBron James is the greatest of all time.
When he's not writing, Peter is binge-watching movies or traveling.

Know More