South Carolina star center Kamilla Cardoso will enter the 2024 WNBA Draft, she announced Monday on Instagram.
“Thank you to everyone who has been a part of my journey so far,” Cardoso wrote in her post. “I am excited for what the future holds and can’t wait to see where the next chapter takes me.”
Cardoso is averaging 14.1 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game for the No. 1 Gamecocks this year. South Carolina is slated to face No. 3 NC State in the Final Four on Friday.
The deadline to declare for the WNBA Draft for players participating in the Final Four isn’t until 48 hours after their last game, so Cardoso didn’t have to make this announcement for another week, but there was no need to wait for one of the top pro prospects in the college game. Now, this decision won’t be hanging over Cardoso during the Final Four, as she seeks her second national title and first as a starter for the Gamecocks.
Cardoso is highly regarded by WNBA GMs because of her size — a common refrain is “you can’t teach 6-foot-7” — and her mobility; she is projected to be a lottery pick in the upcoming draft and the best center in this class.
South Carolina has sophomore Ashlyn Watkins waiting in the wings to start at center next season with Cardoso’s departure. Junior Sania Feagin has been a capable backup who has stepped in for spot starts at the 4 and 5 positions.
The Gamecocks are also welcoming one of the top recruits in the country, 6-foot-2 forward Joyce Edwards, who was the USA’s most productive player at the FIBA U19 World Cup last summer. The frontcourt will continue to be stocked for years to come in Columbia.
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(Photo: Jacob Kupferman / Getty Images)
Christine Lake is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. With an extensive background in sports journalism, he covers everything from major league championships to grassroots sports events. When she’s not on the field or at the stadium, you’ll find Christine coaching youth sports teams.
