Rebecca Lobo: Kamilla Cardoso is 'in the conversation' for the No. 2 pick in WNBA Draft

Throughout the pre-WNBA Draft process, former Stanford star Cameron Brink has been widely projected to go No. 2 overall. She is coming off a decorated career with the Cardinal, including two Pac-12 Player of the Year awards and winning Naismith Defensive Player of the Year this past season.

But there’s another name gaining traction, especially after leading South Carolina to a second title in three years. Could Kamilla Cardoso go to the Los Angeles Sparks as the second pick?

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The 6-foot-7 center made quite a case over the last month. She was a crucial part of South Carolina’s run to another title and won NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors for her efforts. Heading into the tournament, though, she came in behind Brink in mock drafts.

To ESPN’s Rebecca Lobo, it might not be so cut and dry.

“I think Kamilla is in the conversation for No. 2, especially how she performed over the last month of the season,” Lobo said on a Zoom call with reporters ahead of Monday’s WNBA Draft. “She was dominant.”

Cardoso proved to be a key to success for South Carolina, leading the Gamecocks with 14.4 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. She proved she could get it done on both ends of the floor, and scouts likely noticed what she was doing.

To Lobo, what stands out the most about Cardoso’s game is what she does when she wants – and gets – the ball. While she seemed like a lottery pick heading into March, her showing appeared to seal the deal.

“A lot of people have been talking about her ability to run the floor as a 6-7 post player and her relentlessness in doing it in every single possession. When she demands the basketball, which she did every possession over the course of the last month of the season, she just has to demand extra attention inside,” Lobo said. “And she is very good at passing out of double teams. She’s a very good rim protector on the interior.

“So I think especially the effort with which she played, again, over the last three or four weeks of the season really opened a lot of people’s eyes. Before that, was she going to be a lottery pick? Most likely, yes. But certainly, solidified her position in the top four and potentially in the top two or three.”

Sky’s plans could impact Kamilla Cardoso’s draft position

The Sparks find themselves in a unique position in this draft with two lottery picks – the No. 4 pick coming from the Seattle Storm. That means they could find themselves with any two of Kamilla Cardoso, Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson, all of whom came in as lottery picks in ESPN’s Michael Voepel’s mock draft.

While Rebecca Lobo said there’s a chance Cardoso goes at No. 2, she thinks Los Angeles will ultimately select Brink at that spot. But the reason she thinks Cardoso might be an option there is because of the fact that the Chicago Sky are in between those picks.

Depending on what Chicago does, Los Angeles could opt to take Cardoso at No. 2 and try to land Brink at No. 4 if the Sky go in another direction.

“I think Cameron Brink’s gonna go 2,” Lobo said. “I wouldn’t be shocked if Cardoso went 2. And I think part of that is you’ve got to put the pieces into the Jenga game or into the puzzle, and however that plays out. If you think that, ‘Alright, Chicago’s not gonna take Brink at 3, but they might take Cardoso at 3,’ then you roll the dice and say alright, then I’m gonna take Cardoso at 2. Assuming they don’t take Brink at 3, then I’ll be able to get her at 4.

“I do think Brink is gonna go second, but I would not be shocked if there’s some of that kind of stuff in play.”