Chicago Sky head coach Tyler Marsh has relieved some of the mounting pressure that was building as he finally registered his first win as a head coach with an impressive 92-97 victory versus the Dallas Wings. The legendary playmaker Courtney Vandersloot deservedly stole the headlines after replacing Allie Quigley, her own wife, as Chicago's all-time leading scorer with an outstanding 3728 points.
Even on such a historical night, there was another deadly player on the floor who took control of proceedings and became a surprising offensive talisman for the Sky. Is this just a moment in time for this star? Or could this be a player who is ready to overtake fan-favourite Angel Reese as the new face of the franchise?
Kamilla Cardoso shines on career-high night
When selecting Cardoso with the third overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft process, the Sky knew they were signing a defensive powerhouse who provided a sturdy foundation to construct a competitive roster around. The 6-foot-5 center was the 2024 SEC Defensive Player of the Year as she went on to win her second NCAA championship with South Carolina. Despite averaging 10.6 points per game with a field-goal percentage of around 57 percent, Chicago's fanbase would not have anticipated that Cardoso could be so devastating on offense.
However, fast-forward to the 2025 campaign and fans may have shifted their perceptions of what the Brazilian superstar's future role could look like. After a bleak four-game losing streak to start the year, Cardoso ignited Chicago's season by scoring a career-high 23 points while shooting an efficient 69.2 percent from the floor and sinking five out of her six free throws.
The 24-year-old dominated proceedings from tip-off as she incredibly scored all 10 of the Sky's opening points in the game, which prevented exciting rookie Paige Bueckers and the Wings from claiming an early stranglehold on the game. The Sophomore also appears to be building an intoxicating partnership with Vandersloot, as the veteran guard assisted Cardoso on three different occasions during the matchup and proceeded to heap praise on her new teammate when the final buzzer had sounded.
It was not just the center’s scoring that impressed spectators during Chicago's first victory of the campaign; Cardoso imposed her physical presence in the paint as she controlled the battle of the boards, snatching eight rebounds on the night, with three coming on the offensive end of the floor.
On what will be a memorable night for Kamilla Cardoso, the Brazilian will be desperate to consistently demonstrate that she has the attributes to be the antidote that will fix all of the inefficiency issues that have plagued Chicago throughout the 2025 season so far. If the star can replicate this form for a sustained period, Marsh may have stumbled across the weapon that can spark this offense into existence and allow his side to snatch a playoff berth come the postseason.