Why are the Chicago Sky still struggling to feed the ball to Kamilla Cardoso? And can they find a solution in time?
The Chicago Sky had a simple goal ahead of their game Friday against the Los Angeles Sparks: Feed Kamilla Cardoso.
Coach Teresa Weatherspoon set the expectation. Without Cameron Brink on the court, the Sparks didn’t have the size or the speed to match Cardoso in the paint. Guard Chennedy Carter reiterated the marching orders as she warmed up: Feed the post early and often.
It took only three possessions for Cardoso to log an assist and four to make her first basket, but that production quickly dried up. At halftime, Cardoso had scored only six points.
And despite snapping a seven-game losing streak with a 92-78 blowout, the Sky (12-22) managed to get only 12 points off eight attempts from Cardoso in a game designed for her to command the offense.
It’s the prevailing problem in Chicago. The Sky drafted Cardoso at No. 3 for a reason — they believe she can be one of the most dominant posts in WNBA history.
But with only six games left in her rookie season, Cardoso is averaging the second-fewest shot attempts (7.5) of any starting center in the league. And Weatherspoon wants the Sky to run a traditional inside-out offense that continuously cycles the ball through the post in order to create looks.
Why can’t the Sky feed Cardoso? And can they find a solution before they slip out of a playoff spot?
Putting things in motion
While Cardoso’s height — 6-foot-7 — is often the focal point of her prowess as a center, it should always be paired with her other killer trait: speed. Cardoso doesn’t need to set up camp in the restricted area. In fact, as the Sky struggle to unlock her scoring, the best solution is to move Cardoso around the court with intention.
It starts with the pick-and-roll, which allows Cardoso to get involved with the play without having the ball in her hands or expending the energy of a post-up.
But it also extends to off-ball movement, something that was almost nonexistent in Cardoso’s early weeks, leading to stagnant plays in which she was left ball-watching on the block.
In recent weeks, Cardoso has begun slipping screens for quick cuts to the basket, a simple yet deceptive action that is almost automatic in giving her an unguarded layup.
Every time the Sky implement a simple new action to get Cardoso on the move — cross screens, back screens, backdoor cuts, high-low passes from the elbow — it opens the part of her game that is the hardest to guard.
Threading the needle
Sky center Kamilla Cardoso (10) shoots against the Fever’s Aliyah Boston on June 1, 2024, in Indianapolis. (Andy Lyons/Getty)
Sky center Kamilla Cardoso (10) shoots against the Fever’s Aliyah Boston on June 1, 2024, in Indianapolis. (Andy Lyons/Getty)
Getting the ball into the post is difficult. Sure, it’s a little easier when the target is 6-7. But feeding the post requires swift decision-making and precise passing, which the Sky have lacked throughout the season.
The Sky’s weakness in entry passes comes down to two key factors: angles and personnel.
The first is a technical adjustment they still haven’t made. Cardoso often seals her defender on a post-up for looks that appear wide open but are cut off from the angle of the guard in possession of the ball.
It’s a timing issue the Sky have struggled with all season, resulting in either a turnover by a guard who forces the ball inside or frustration for Cardoso when the hard work of bodying up her defender doesn’t pay off in a pass.
