Sunday afternoon was a showcase of former Gamecock talents, including Kamilla Cardoso’s Chicago Sky doing battle with the Atlanta Dream’s Te-Hina Paopao and Allisha Gray.
The Dream (9-4) were defending a five-game homecourt winning streak against a rebuilding Sky squad (3-9).
While neither team had its roots in Columbia, South Carolina, on game night, their most notable connections traced directly back to a program that coach Dawn Staley has built into a perennial power.
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While the action unfolded on the court, Staley took to X to send a clear message of support to her former players, posting, “Split screening @WNBA game today! @GamecockWBB on @GamecockWBB crime in full effect! 🥰🥰🥰.”
Standing 6-foot-7 and drafted third overall in 2024, Cardoso has quickly become a foundational piece for the Sky.
A native of Montes Claros, Brazil, she began her U.S. career at Syracuse before transferring to South Carolina in 2021.
Under Staley, she blossomed into a two‐time NCAA champion (2022, 2024) and swept numerous awards in her senior season, among them NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player, WBCA Defensive Player of the Year and First‐Team All‐SEC.
South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley and center Kamilla Cardoso (10).
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports via Imagn Images.
Gray’s journey, meanwhile, took her from UNC to Columbia for one collegiate season (2016-17), where she immediately helped the Gamecocks capture the 2017 national title.
Now in her ninth WNBA campaign with the Atlanta Dream, Gray has become a two-time All-Star, was the Rookie of the Year in 2017 and last season won both the WNBA Skills Challenge and Three-Point Shootout.
Gray’s teammate, Paopao, helped the Gamecocks capture an NCAA title in 2024, earning second team All-American and second team All-SEC honors after averaging 11.0 points, 3.7 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game.
Paopao was selected 18th overall in the 2025 WNBA draft.
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