Kamilla Cardoso Suits Up for Brazil Ahead of 2025 FIBA AmeriCup: “Oh, How I Missed This Jersey!”
Kamilla Cardoso, former South Carolina Gamecocks superstar and current Chicago Sky center, is ready to make waves on the international stage once again. The 6-foot-7 standout gave fans a preview of her return to national team duty ahead of the 2025 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup, which runs from June 28 to July 6 in Santiago, Chile.
Cardoso took to Instagram on Saturday, sharing a photo series of herself proudly wearing Brazil’s iconic green No. 10 jersey. With a basketball in hand and a smile on her face, she expressed her joy in her native Portuguese:
“Ah, como eu senti falta de vestir esse manto! 💚💛” Translation: “Oh, how I missed wearing this jersey!”
The Chicago Sky confirmed earlier in the week that Cardoso would temporarily step away from WNBA play to represent Brazil, a team with a dominant AmeriCup history. Brazil enters the tournament as the defending champion and the all-time leader in titles, having won six gold medals, including their most recent in 2023—a tournament in which Cardoso played a crucial role.
In that gold-medal clash against Team USA, Cardoso delivered a dominant performance: 20 points, 11 rebounds, and three steals, earning tournament MVP honors.
WNBA Meets International Glory
Before heading to Chile, Cardoso posed alongside Indiana Fever veteran and fellow Brazilian Damiris Dantas in a photo shared on Friday. The two, now reunited under the Brazilian flag, are looking to guide their team to back-to-back AmeriCup titles.
Cardoso has continued to impress in her rookie WNBA season. Selected third overall in the 2024 draft, she has averaged 12.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists this year. Her performances before the break made her a rising force in the league and a centerpiece in Chicago’s rebuilding effort.
Last season, she earned a spot on the WNBA All-Rookie Team after posting 9.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game. Her elite interior presence was foreshadowed by a storied college career.
From Columbia to the World Stage
During her time at South Carolina, Cardoso helped secure two national championships (2022, 2024), was named Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament, earned First-Team All-SEC honors, and claimed the WBCA National Defensive Player of the Year award in 2024.
Internationally, her resume is just as stacked. In addition to her 2023 FIBA AmeriCup MVP, she helped Brazil win gold at the 2022 South American Championship and most recently starred for the Shanghai Swordfish, earning WCBA International Player of the Year (2025) honors.
As Brazil opened Group A play against Argentina, expectations are high for Cardoso to once again anchor her team on both ends of the floor. She is expected to return to the Chicago Sky following Brazil’s AmeriCup campaign.
Whether it’s in Columbia, Chicago, Shanghai, or Santiago, Kamilla Cardoso continues to prove she’s a global basketball force—one jersey at a time.
