Less than 72 hours ago, Kamilla Cardoso was Chicago’s anchor, but now, as the fans feel, she’s the weight dragging them down. It was just her 2nd game after a two-week leave that she took to represent Brazil at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup. But she showed up with full power to grab an 87-81 win against the Lynx. In Tyler Marsh’s words, “Angel and Kamilla really set the tone early. We came in locked into the game plan.” And that statement couldn’t be more accurate, as Reese and Cardoso had a combined 26 rebounds and 36 points.
After that dominant performance, Angel Reese couldn’t help but fire back. “Somebody said we wasn’t the best young core in the league,” she said about herself and Kamilla Cardoso, “I think we’re the best young core in the league, for sure. Hands down.” And for a solid three days, fans and viewers were right there with her. Now, after today’s second straight clash with the Lynx, that belief still holds strong (at least for Reese). She just notched her ninth consecutive double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds. But for Kamilla Cardoso? The air is a little different.
She managed just 6 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 turnovers in 26 minutes. She shot 3-of-7 from the field and grabbed just two offensive boards. This time, not “Everybody came alive, from top to bottom,” like Reese said after the last game. In fact, when it came to Cardoso, it felt like the spark had dimmed. But the blame is not on Cardoso alone.
Kamilla Cardoso Under Fire
Some fans didn’t waste a second pointing fingers. They specifically called out Kamilla Cardoso’s lack of impact and the coaching staff’s reluctance to make a switch. One person wrote: “They lost so many possessions by trying to pass the ball to Kamilla in the paint when they had her locked up. The coach didn’t adjust. EWill should have been in because she can move.” And it wasn’t just emotional venting, but it had numbers to stand on.
Cardoso wrapped up her grim stats with a -4 plus-minus. Meanwhile, Elizabeth Williams clocked in just 17 minutes but had a far more efficient night. She scored 7 points on 3-of-6 shooting, 2 rebounds, and just 1 turnover. It’s no surprise that fans are questioning why EWill wasn’t given a bigger role when the paint was that congested. Now, that’s bad news for the Sky, especially Tyler Marsh, who considers Reese and Cardoso to be the cornerstones of his franchise. Yet, this bad news isn’t necessarily new.
As Rosaline Lee had warned before, after the Sky’s loss to the Fever. “I don’t know, it’s very hard to see Angel Reese and Kimy Cardoso together because I think that they could be better versions of themselves playing for different teams,” she remarked, raising direct questions about the duo’s synergy.
However, not everyone pointed the blame squarely at Kamilla Cardoso. Some fans zoomed out and called out the bigger picture. They pointed towardsthe team’s inability to get Cardoso the ball in the right spots. “Those turnovers are unacceptable. I don’t know what needs to be done. But that just can’t happen. Y’all lost this game due to turnovers and no perimeter defense. And players not knowing how to feed Kamilla,” one fan wrote.
tough one, but we’ll bounce back.@UChicagoMed | #skytown pic.twitter.com/CTviAmzycF
— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) July 15, 2025
They might have had a point. The Sky coughed up 19 turnovers, many of which turned straight into fuel for the Lynx. As Angel Reese admitted postgame: “[The Lynx] maximized off everything (turnovers). They’re the No. 1 team for a reason.” So, another person rallied behind the same sentiment and focused on the whole squad effort (or the absence of it). They wrote, “Not having a true point guard really killed the Chicago Sky tonight. The way this game was managed down the stretch was nasty business. Kamilla Cardoso needed more touches to beat the Lynx she was acclimated in the offense and could’ve made a real difference…”
Yes, the guard situation was not really happening for the Sky. To make matters worse, they even lost Ariel Atkins to an injury. She didn’t return after clocking just 15 minutes and 2 points. The saddest part is that her injury came just before halftime, when it was still unclear who’s take the crown as the Sky were locked in on the Lynx. Also, Atkins’ on-ball pressure is an important piece of Chicago’s perimeter defense. Without her, the Sky couldn’t contain the Lynx’s Big 3. Napheesa Collier torched them for 29 points, going a perfect 11-for-11 from the line, while Kayla McBride chipped in 17 and Courtney Williams added 18.
But that was not the only game-ending injury for the Sky. They also lost Michaela Onyenwere who crashed to the floor after colliding with Kamilla Cardoso and didn’t return. So, it was a devastating night for the fans indeed. And one expressed it by writing, “Kamilla cardoso breakin my heart right now.” Whereas another person expressed the heartbreak in a little harsher manner.
They wrote, “Kamilla cardoso I won’t forgive you bro.” And to be fair, their disappointment isn’t baseless. Cardoso has been averaging 12.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, and shooting 55% from the field this season. But against the Lynx, she performed with a noticeable drop-off from her usual production. Moreover, as Angel Reese believes, a second straight upset was doable. “It wasn’t something spectacular that they ran that we couldn’t stop,” Reese said. “It was just that we didn’t get back in transition.” But why the loss then?
Some people believe that the reason is that “Kamilla cardoso simply doesn’t want to play wnba basketball. Time to trade her and get somebody who wants to play for you.” But this claim ignores everything Cardoso’s journey has stood for. This is someone who left Brazil at just 15, without speaking English, to chase a dream across continents. Someone who fought her way to the University of South Carolina. Then, on draft night, she broke down in happy tears as she told the world, “I had a goal, to give my family a better life. I’m so thankful to be here.”
So let’s not rush to write her off after one tough game. Maybe just like Angel Reese, Kamilla Cardoso needs a little time, too.
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