Kamilla Cardoso gets emotional after being selected by Chicago Sky in WNBA Draft

Kamilla Cardoso was selected by the Chicago Sky and got very emotional. When talking to Holly Rowe of ESPN, the former South Carolina basketball star was in tears as she’s living out her dream.

“I had a goal to be here tonight and give my family a better life.”

An emotional Kamilla Cardoso after getting drafted by the Chicago Sky👏🏽@WLTX | #Gamecocks | #WNBADraft

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— Chandler Mack (@chandlerdmack) April 16, 2024

“I had a goal to be here tonight and give my family a better life,” Cardoso told Rowe. Cardoso also talked about how she was happy to have her mom at the WNBA Draft.

“It’s really special that she’s here,” Cardoso explained. “She’s one of my biggest inspirations. She’s the reason that I’m here right now because she’s inspired me to play basketball. I’m just so thankful she’s able to be here.”

Kamilla Cardoso was a winner at South Carolina

Cardoso, 22, had a memorable career at South Carolina. She played for the Gamecocks the last three seasons after playing for Syracuse her freshman year and led the team to two national championships. The 2024 season was Cardoso’s best as she was named the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player WBCA Defensive Player of the Year.

After leading South Carolina to a national title earlier this month, Cardoso talked about the impact coach Dawn Staley made on her career. “She means a lot to me. I feel like, since the first day I got to South Carolina, she’s been working so hard to get me ready and prepared for moments like this,” she said. “I’m just so thankful to have her as a coach. She’s like an inspiration for me and a lot of young girls out there. I’m just so thankful to have her as a coach. She’s the best in the business, you already know.”

Cardoso also talked about how the team dominated Iowa inside. ” I think just trying to get the post-ups and my teammates finding me and giving me the ball, even though I didn’t shoot really good tonight,” she explained. “I think just by — we just move the ball really good, and they were able to find me while I was open.

The Sky have been playing in the WNBA since 2006. The team reached the WNBA Finals twice and won the title in 2021. Cardoso will be playing with former LSU standout Angel Reese who was selected by the Sky at No. 7 overall in this year’s WNBA Draft.