Brazilian Kamilla Cardoso is making a name for herself in basketball. The South Carolina women’s basketball team is now the new NCAA Women’s Champion after an 87-75 win over the Iowa Hawkeyes. The Gamecocks finished the season with a 38-0 record.
In a tournament that has drawn viewership records, against a team featuring an opponent in Caitlin Clark who recently became the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, Cardoso didn’t just play a good game, she dominated. And she did so when her team needed her the most, coming out as a two-time NCAA champion.
A month ago, Cardoso got into a fight in the SEC tournament title game. She got ejected from the game and had to sit out the first game of the NCAA tournament, as per the rules. But Cardoso came back stronger than ever, scoring 83 points with 54 rebounds in 5 games, with 38 points and 28 rebounds in the Final Four.
When all was said and done, the South Carolina Gamecocks were the winners, and Kamilla Cardoso was named Most Oustanding Player of the Tournament, after averaging 10.8 rebounds and 16.6 points per game. She also made the all-tournament team.
“I feel like I just wanted to get out there in this tournament and just play really well for my teammates, for my coaches, and to win the championship,” Cardoso said. “So I think that’s what I did.” She also shared a picture on Instagram of her celebrating with her team. The caption read: “That feeling when you are the Most Outstanding Player.”
Kamilla Cardoso recently declared for the 2024 WNBA draft and is expected to be one of the top picks despite having only one year as a starter under her belt. When that one year ends in an NCAA Women’s Championship and being named Most Oustanding Player of the Tournament, it’s easy to see why.