The Sky’s the limit for Kamilla Cardoso, who is officially going pro.
The 22-year-old Brazilian college basketball star, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Women’s Tournament after leading the South Carolina Gamecocks to the national championship, was selected No. 3 overall by the Chicago Sky in the 2024 WNBA draft on Monday night at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
The draft was held with fans for the first time since the 2014-16 iterations of the event. Tickets for 1,000 spectators sold out within 15 minutes of them going on sale a few months ago.
Cardoso had a busy week, helping the Gamecocks win the national championship to complete an undefeated season.
She took part in the team’s championship parade on Sunday before traveling to New York.
But Cardoso wasn’t the only Latina player to be drafted to the WBNA…
Celeste Taylor, of Colombian and Puerto Rican descent, was selected by the Indiana Fever in as the No. 3 pick in the second round.
Esmery Martinez, who played for Arizona, became the first-ever Dominican player drafted into the WNBA when the New York Liberty drafted her as the No. 5 pick in the second round.
Meanwhile, her teammate at Arizona, Spaniard Helena Pueyo, was chosen by the Connecticut Sun as the No. 10 pick in the second round.
The Indiana Fever picked Puerto Rican basketball standout Leilani Correa, who played for Florida, as the No. 3 pick in the third round.