When Angel Reese entered the transfer portal, despite having a good season with Maryland, the decision raised many eyebrows. But for Reese, it was a fresh start, and that too with a coach who could develop her into a stretch four to prepare for the pro league. So, finally, she found her match and announced her transfer to LSU. It was the “winning culture” she desired to join under head coach Kim Mulkey, and it turned out to be the best decision she could have made. After all, she got to hold the National Championship trophy, and that too by defeating Caitlin Clark and Iowa.
But not every season is the same, so in the following season, Reese and company were knocked out by Iowa in the Elite Eight. Simply put, at LSU, Reese experienced a combination of wins and losses.
Now, after two years, when she’s returning to LSU’s Pete Maravich Assembly Center on May 2, 2025, it’s bound to be pretty nostalgic for her. “It will be amazing to return to Baton Rouge, a community that means so much to me,” Reese said, expressing the gratitude and excitement that only a true Tiger could feel. However, not everyone feels the same way as Sky’s #5 does. Just ask Kamilla Cardoso.
For her, too, the game is pretty nostalgic, but for a different reason, since it will be against the Brazilian National Team, whom she played for before being drafted as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 draft.
“Brazil has played such an important role in my life and has shaped the person I am today. Playing for the Sky against my former team gives me a wonderful opportunity to connect with my roots and play in front of old friends and teammates back home,” shared Cardoso. However, with Baton Rouge comes a fortune for her, too.
“Well, we won every time we played them, right? So…” said Cardoso. If you know, you know.
Chatted with Kamilla Cardoso for a bit this afternoon (more from that in a bit).
With Friday’s preseason game in Baton Rouge coming up, I asked her to share her favorite memory from playing LSU.
Kamilla: “Well, we won every time we played them, right? So…”
— Julia Poe (@byjuliapoe) April 27, 2025
Every time Cardoso and South Carolina came to PMAC, they won. Consider their game versus LSU on February 13, when Cardoso and company pulled off an 88–64 victory in Baton Rouge. Notably, Cardoso posted an impressive 18 points and 13 rebounds double-double in that game.
Well, this is mere one example. The two have been heated rivals, battling for rebounds and pride during their intense SEC matchups during collegiate basketball. Remember their encounter, which ended up with tensions boiling over when Cardoso forcefully shoved LSU’s Flau’Jae Johnson to the floor, drawing national headlines.
Even head coach Mulkey didn’t hold back after the game, blasting the move and declaring, “I wish she would have pushed Angel Reese. Don’t push a kid… you’re 6’8″, don’t push somebody that little.” The incident not just stole the spotlight from SC’s 79-72 win but defined the relationship between two star forwards.
Fast forward just a few weeks, and the script has completely flipped. In one of the most exciting twists of the 2024 WNBA Draft, Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso were both selected by the Chicago Sky. Now? Instead of colliding in the paint, they’ll be owning it together.
“I’m just so excited I get to play with Kamilla,” Reese said after her selection, recalling how their battles dated all the way back to high school. But she wasn’t alone. Cardoso shared similar sentiments.
She joked during her press conference, “Two great players together — nobody’s going to get no rebounds on us.”
And it made some sense, too. With their size, strength, and relentless energy, Reese and Cardoso promise to create one of the most fearsome frontcourts in the WNBA. Notably, the two players post a combined average of 11.7 points per game with 10.5 rebounds per game.
Their combination of scoring, rebounding, and defensive prowess could make the Chicago Sky instant contenders as the league’s next power duo emerges.
Well, its the same court, only the teams have changed. At that time, Cardoso was playing against Reese, but now, she’ll be playing with her on the same team. However, the prediction Cardoso mentioned runs deeper than just her stats.
It’s a quiet reality check on Angel Reese’s past dominance. No doubt, Baton Rouge is deeply emotional for Reese since she became a national sensation there. She led the Tigers to their first-ever NCAA championship, broke records for rebounds, and shattered previous records for double-doubles. In fact, her dominance at PMAC helped LSU maintain one of the fiercest home-court advantages in college basketball.
However, not every game had been a win for Reese. Consider their January 25 defeat to South Carolina and the March 2024 Elite Eight exit versus Iowa. In fact, the Gamecocks won their 17th straight over LSU and all five since Kim Mulkey took over as the head coach. All this proves, Cardoso’s dominance over Reese. But, we all know the rebounding leader of the league is no less.
And all this makes the upcoming game vs. the Brazilian National Team even more important. But will the Sky be able to prove LSU’s advantage true?
A win-win situation for Angel Reese and Chicago Sky
Well, the Chicago Sky are entering the 2025 WNBA season with a whole new energy, and a whole new roster to match it. After a tough 13–27 season in 2024, the franchise made it clear they weren’t interested in a slow rebuild. Under the leadership of newly appointed head coach Tyler Marsh, the Sky have blended seasoned veterans with rising stars to forge a team that looks ready to make some serious noise.
At the heart of this new chapter are two second-year phenoms: Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso. After a rookie campaign where Reese solidified her 13.1 rebounding and 13.6 scoring average, she’s now primed to be the centerpiece of Chicago’s frontcourt.
Meanwhile, Cardoso, who impressed fans across the globe by winning a major MVP award overseas, returns with even more polish and a hunger to dominate in the paint. But it’s not just about the young guns. The Sky pulled off a blockbuster trade to land veteran guard Ariel Atkins, a move that screamed “win-now.”
Known for her two-way play, Atkins is expected to be a major force on both ends of the floor. And speaking of veteran leadership, Courtney Vandersloot is back in Chicago. But this time, she’s got an even bigger role. A former Sky icon and assist queen, Vandersloot’s arrival offers a steady hand to guide the young roster.
Jun 23, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Sky head coach Teresa Weatherspoon talks to her team during the second half of a basketball game against the Indiana Fever at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
To add even more depth, Chicago’s 2025 WNBA Draft was a success. Hailey Van Lith, selected 11th overall, and Ajša Sivka, taken at No. 10, bring scoring punch.
Well, the Sky’s bench has got the hold too. There’s second-round pick Maddy Westbeld and a combination of vets like Rebecca Allen, Kia Nurse, Elizabeth Williams, Michaela Onyenwere, and Rachel Banham.
So, no doubt, the team is fully efficient. The only thing that remains to be seen is the score by which the Sky defeat the Brazilian Nationals!
The post Kamilla Cardoso Throws Shade at Angel Reese’s Past with a Reality Check as Chicago Prepares for Pre-Season Game at LSU Home appeared first on EssentiallySports.
