Dawn Staley reacts after Kamilla Cardoso makes WNBA history with perfect performance

Dawn Staley reacts after Kamilla Cardoso makes WNBA history with perfect performance originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Kamilla Cardoso has been one of the brightest young stars in the WNBA since arriving from South Carolina, and on Friday night, the Chicago Sky center delivered the best performance of her professional career.

Cardoso was virtually unstoppable in Chicago’s 124-94 win over the Portland Fire, finishing with a career-high 30 points while making all 13 of her field-goal attempts. The flawless shooting performance also made WNBA history, as no player had ever scored 30 or more points without missing a shot from the field.

It didn’t take long for one of the most important people in Cardoso’s basketball journey to celebrate the milestone.

Dawn Staley celebrates former South Carolina star

Shortly after the historic performance, South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley took to social media to congratulate her former standout.

“@WNBA Record broken!! Congrats @Kamillascsilva!! 30pc the easy way!!!” Staley wrote on X.

The message reflected the close bond the two built during Cardoso’s time in Columbia.

Under Staley’s guidance, Cardoso developed into one of the nation’s premier post players, helping lead the Gamecocks to NCAA national championships in 2022 and 2024. She earned All-American honors before becoming the No. 3 overall selection in the 2024 WNBA Draft.

Now in her third WNBA season, Cardoso continues to reward the Sky’s investment while establishing herself as one of the league’s emerging stars.

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Historic night powers Chicago to convincing win

Cardoso’s record-setting performance headlined one of Chicago’s best offensive games of the season.

She finished with:

• 30 points

• 8 rebounds

• 13-for-13 shooting from the field

Sydney Taylor nearly matched Cardoso’s scoring explosion with 29 points, while Azurá Stevens added 12. Jacy Sheldon, Skylar Diggins and Courtney Vandersloot each chipped in 10 points as six Sky players reached double figures.

Chicago’s 124 points marked one of its highest offensive outputs of the season and improved the team’s record as it continues to battle for a playoff position.

For Cardoso, however, the night was about much more than just another win.

Her perfect shooting display entered the WNBA record books, and one of the first people to recognize the achievement was the coach who helped mold her into a national champion at South Carolina.

With Staley cheering from afar and Cardoso continuing to elevate her game in Chicago, the former Gamecocks star appears to be taking another major step toward becoming one of the WNBA’s elite frontcourt players.

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