On Friday night at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Kamilla Cardoso delivered one of the most remarkable individual performances in WNBA history — and it all started with a message on her phone.
A Text That Changed Everything
Cardoso had already tied her career high for points in the first half when she sat in the locker room and pulled out her phone at halftime. There was a message waiting from Dawn Staley, her former coach at South Carolina. That was the moment the Chicago Sky center knew it was going to be one of those nights.
“She texts me all the time,” Cardoso said of Staley. “Just to make me feel confident and to let me know that she’s always in my corner.” That bond between player and former college coach proved to be the spark for something truly historic.
A Record-Breaking Performance
Cardoso set a WNBA record by shooting 13-for-13 from the field, scoring a career-high 30 points to lead the Chicago Sky to a dominant 124-94 victory over the expansion Portland Fire on Friday night.
She surpassed the previous mark set by Nneka Ogwumike, who went 12-for-12 in the Los Angeles Sparks’ 97-73 win over the Dallas Wings on June 11, 2016. That made it the second 30-point game in league history by someone who shot 100%, joining Ogwumike in that exclusive company.
Cardoso scored her final basket of the game in the third quarter with four minutes remaining. Perhaps intent on preserving the record, she did not take another shot for the rest of the game, playing 24 minutes in total. In addition to her perfect shooting, she also grabbed eight rebounds on the night.
A Team Effort for the Ages
Cardoso’s historic night was far from a one-woman show. The Sky also set a WNBA record for most assists in a game with 38, surpassing the previous mark of 37.
Sydney Taylor added 29 points and has now scored 20 or more points four times this season, second among all rookies — only Olivia Miles has more with seven. Azura Stevens chipped in 12, while Skylar Diggins and Courtney Vandersloot — who made her season debut after returning from injury — each scored 10.
The Sky also surpassed their franchise record for points in a game of 114, with Jacy Sheldon’s fourth-quarter layup breaking the mark.
Vandersloot’s Emotional Return
The night carried extra significance with the return of a beloved veteran. The Sky’s all-time leader in points had finally returned from a torn ACL that had limited her to just seven games in 2026. With 15 years in the league and 436 regular-season games played, the two-time champion and five-time All-WNBA selection admitted the return brought “first day of school vibes.”
Despite the nerves, Vandersloot finished with 10 points and seven assists, including finding a cutting Cardoso with a crosscourt pass out of a double team — a flash of the player fans have grown to love over the years.
What This Means for the Sky
With the victory, Chicago won back-to-back games for the first time since May 9-13. The win improved Chicago to 6-12, and the team won all three of its matchups with Portland this season. Up next for the Sky is a home-and-home series with the Las Vegas Aces.
On a night filled with records, redemption, and the kind of mentorship that transcends the final whistle, Kamilla Cardoso reminded the basketball world just how special she can be — with a little push from the coach who believed in her first.
