Merely a week after the NCAA women’s March Madness entertained the entire basketball community, some of the most elite athletes began their professional journey. Among the several talented young women to be selected in the 2024 WNBA Draft tonight were Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso. With the Chicago Sky acquiring the two talents with their #7 and #3 pick respectively, part of the team ownership group Dwyane Wade welcomed them via Instagram.
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Dwyane Wade was a successful player in the NBA from the early 2000s to the late 2010s. During an illustrious 16-year career, Wade racked up a distinguished resume – 3 championships, 1 Finals MVP, and a scoring title – good enough to become a part of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team and the Hall-of-Fame. Apart from being one of the greatest shooting guards in the history of the league, D-Wade has also been a smart businessman. Among numerous other investments, the Chicago native joined the Chicago Sky as a minority owner at an $85 million valuation 9 months ago has to be the most special one.
Being the co-owner of the Sky, “The Flash” was elated after the team added two of the best frontcourts available of the 2024 draft class to their roster. Taking to Instagram, the 13-time NBA All-Star welcomed Reese and Cardoso to the franchise.
Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso were two of the most impressive performances this 2023-2024 college basketball season. However, both frontcourt players managed to elevate their game during the March Madness. While Reese averaged 15.8 points and 15.3 rebounds per game, leading the LSU Tigers to an Elite 8 appearance, Cardoso averaged 16.6 points and 10.8 rebounds per game, leading the South Carolina Gamecocks to the National Championship (stats from ESPN).
Across their 4-year college stint, the two left fans in awe with their intense duels. And being on the same team now, it’ll be extremely difficult for the opposition to grab rebounds over the Sky duo.
Apart from the value they provide to the Chicago side with their on-court performance, both players are also highly marketable. Reese has played a huge role, alongside Caitlin Clark, in bringing women’s basketball more eyeballs than ever before. Additionally, 2.9 million+ followers on Instagram will also be beneficial for the Sky, boosting the team’s popularity. Whereas, the Brazil native Cardoso brings a completely different fanbase to the franchise.
Basketball enthusiasts cannot wait to see how these two youngsters dominate together. Undoubtedly, the Chicago Sky will now be one of the most exciting and must-see teams in the league.
