Cardoso Makes History
Kamilla Cardoso Achieves WNBA Record in Sky's Dominant, Record-Setting Rout
Key Points
The Sky set a league-record with 38 assists in the win, highlighting a highly unselfish, distribute-first approach.
Cardoso revealed she received constant encouragement from Dawn Staley, including a halftime message that boosted her confidence and reinforced Staley’s ongoing support.
Vandersloot made her season debut after returning from a torn ACL, entering midway through the third quarter to a standing ovation from the crowd.
Cardoso became the first player in WNBA history to go 13-for-13 from the field, finishing with 30 points; it was one of only two 30-point games in league history by a player with a perfect shooting night (joining Nneka Ogwumike in 2016).
Six Sky players scored in double digits, underscoring Chicago’s balanced scoring attack in the rout.
Kamilla Cardoso made history Friday night, going a perfect 13-for-13 from the field to score 30 points and lead the Chicago Sky past the Portland Fire 124-94. ESPN reported that Cardoso became the first player in WNBA history to make 13 field goals without a single miss, breaking the old record of 11-for-11 set jointly by Nneka Ogwumike and Seimone Augustus.
The win was a record-breaking night across the board. The Sky dished out 38 assists — a new WNBA single-game record — and shot 66.2% as a team. Chicago also shattered its franchise scoring record, topping its previous high of 114 points. The Sky are now 6-12 and have won back-to-back games for the first time since mid-May.
Cardoso Makes Every Shot in Historic Performance
Cardoso finished the game 13-for-13 from the field, adding eight rebounds. ESPN noted it was only the second time in WNBA history a player scored 30 or more points on a perfect shooting night. Nneka Ogwumike did it in 2016. Cardoso did it in 14 minutes fewer than Ogwumike had to work with.
She was nearly perfect before halftime. At the break, Cardoso was 7-for-7. Then, with 1:42 left in the third quarter, she hit a layup to go 12-for-12 and break the old record. She hit one more before the night was done. ABC7 Chicago reported her final line: 30 points, 8 rebounds, zero misses.
Dawn Staley's Halftime Text Fueled Cardoso's Second Half
Cardoso did not go through Friday night alone. At halftime, she got a text from Dawn Staley — her former coach at South Carolina. Staley wrote: "Just keep playing hard, Millie. I'm super proud of you." Cardoso said Staley texts her all the time. "Just to make me feel confident and let me know she's always in my corner," Cardoso said, according to ESPN.
Staley also celebrated publicly. She posted on X: "@WNBA Record broken!! Congrats @Kamillascsilva!! 30pc the easy way!!!" The message captured what many fans felt watching Chicago dismantle Portland with crisp, connected basketball.
Vandersloot Returns, Six Sky Players Hit Double Digits
Cardoso was not the only story. Courtney Vandersloot made her season debut after tearing her ACL on June 7, 2025 — nearly a full year earlier. She entered midway through the third quarter to a standing ovation. In just 14 minutes, she scored 10 points on 4-for-4 shooting and added 7 assists. "Words can't express how excited and thankful I am to return to the floor," Vandersloot said, according to The Spokesman-Review.
Rookie guard Sydney Taylor added 29 points on 11-of-14 shooting, including six three-pointers. Six Sky players finished in double digits total. The team made 15 of 28 three-point attempts, a 53.6% clip. Chicago's 38 assists on 45 made field goals showed just how unselfish the offense was. Coach Tyler Marsh has built a system where the ball moves and everyone scores, according to ABC7 Chicago.
Sky Eye Playoff Push as Portland's Growing Pains Continue
The loss dropped Portland to 8-12. The Fire are still an expansion team in their first season back after a 24-year absence. Local Portland media called them the league's worst defensive team after giving up 124 points. The Fire allowed Chicago to attack the paint almost at will. Portland's roster is young by design, but the gaps are showing, per ESPN.
For Chicago, the mood is different. The Sky are 6-12 but building momentum. They have won two straight for the first time in over a month. A playoff spot requires a top-8 finish, and the Sky are within striking distance. With Cardoso emerging as a true star and Vandersloot now back on the floor, Chicago has reasons to believe the best is still ahead.
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