Former collegiate basketball stars Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso made their long-awaited WNBA preseason debuts Friday night during the Chicago Sky‘s exhibition against the Minnesota Lynx at Target Center.
Reese, who became a household name while leading LSU to a national championship in 2023, joined the Sky’s starting five on Friday alongside Elizabeth Williams, Diamond DeShields, Marina Mabrey and Dana Evans. Cardoso, the reigning national champion out of South Carolina, came off the Sky’s bench.
In 24 minutes, Reese scored 13 points on 2-of-7 shooting and tallied nine rebounds, two steals and one block.
Cardoso’s night ended early, however, after she went down hard on her right shoulder in the first half. She didn’t play at all in the second half, registering just six points on 3-of-5 shooting, four rebounds and two blocks in 13 minutes.
The Lynx edged the Sky, 92–87, behind 17 points from guard Courtney Williams.
The two rookie phenoms connected on a bucket in the second quarter when Reese dished Cardoso a pass in the paint, and the former Gamecocks star rolled it in for two points.
The Sky selected both players in the first round of the 2024 WNBA draft last month. Cardoso was the No. 3 pick after the Indiana Fever selected Caitlin Clark with the top pick and Cameron Brink went to the Los Angeles Sparks at No. 2. Chicago selected Reese at No. 7, a pick the Sky acquired in a trade with the Lynx in April.
Chicago will wrap up the preseason Tuesday against the New York Liberty before officially beginning the 2024 regular season May 15.
