Two years ago, the Chicago Sky had a vision: build a dominant frontcourt of the future by uniting two top-10 draft picks with a storied college rivalry. They selected Kamilla Cardoso third overall and Angel Reese with the seventh pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, betting on size, rebounding, and post scoring to power a playoff return. But the plan never clicked. Chicago stumbled to a 23-61 record over two seasons, and Reese was traded to the Atlanta Dream earlier this month in a blockbuster deal.

That trade set the stage for an electrifying reunion on Wednesday, when the Dream visited the Sky at Wintrust Arena for a preseason showdown. The former teammates-turned-rivals wasted no time reigniting their competitive fire. Cardoso delivered a massive block on Reese that sent the home crowd into a frenzy—and made a strong statement about her rising status as one of the WNBA's premier young bigs.

The intensity only escalated when ESPN released its ranking of the 50 best players in the WNBA on Thursday, placing Cardoso at No. 34. Reporter Kareem Copeland highlighted the 6'7" Brazilian as perhaps the "biggest beneficiary" of the Reese trade, noting it will free up more space for her in the paint. "Cardoso's points nearly increased by four per game in 2025, while her rebounds and assists both ticked upward," Copeland wrote. "Her 8.5 rebounds ranked fifth in the league. She's shot above 52.0% in both seasons and took three more shots per game last season (10.6)."

If Cardoso takes another leap in 2026, Chicago's competitive timeline could shift dramatically. For now, the rivalry between these two former teammates is just heating up—and it's already delivering must-watch basketball.