SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — What South Carolina coach Dawn Staley misses most about Sky center Kamilla Cardoso is her dominance.
Cardoso became a one-of-a-kind force in her senior season in college, putting the Gamecocks on her back and deciding they weren’t going to lose. They didn’t, going undefeated en route to a national title.
Staley was looking for that kind of dominance from Cardoso from the moment she transferred from Syracuse as a sophomore, but it didn’t happen immediately.
‘‘I think it took people moving out of the way,’’ Staley told the Sun-Times. ‘‘Like Aliyah Boston graduating and then Kamilla being the focal point. Sometimes when you know there’s nobody there [and] it’s just you, you rise to the challenge.’’
That experience taught Staley that Cardoso is a ‘‘focal point’’ player. She excels under applied pressure; she can’t be allowed to just float. So when a coach decides it’s time to hand over the keys, they have to commit fully.
‘‘If you’re gonna give her the keys to the car only on the weekends, I don’t think that’s Kamilla’s style,’’ Staley said. ‘‘I think it’s more [that] she wants to get in the car and drive it every day.’’
Staley’s analogy is interesting in the context of Cardoso’s first two seasons with the Sky.
How much driving time has been offered? How much has she accepted?
There’s no clear-cut answer, in part because the car keeps changing.
Cardoso has played for two coaches (Teresa Weatherspoon and Tyler Marsh) with drastically different styles. She has played alongside a revolving door of alpha scorers (Marina Mabrey, Chennedy Carter and Angel Reese).
She has dominated in quarters, in halves and in stretches of the season, though not yet for an entire year the way she did at South Carolina.
‘‘I think this year is probably going to be a great year for her,’’ Staley said, ‘‘statistically speaking, as well as comfort. And the fact that Angel isn’t on the roster. I’m not saying that in a bad way; it just leaves more opportunity for Kamilla to spread her wings. She can be more of a focal point.’’
Whether Cardoso spreads her wings and whether Marsh’s offense helps her take flight are the most compelling questions of the season. The second half of last season pointed upward: Cardoso averaged 14.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and three assists during that period.
She also returned to training camp looking very much like she did at the end of last season: vocal, engaged and physically prepared, if not totally ready to accept the role of franchise spokesperson.
Asked whether she now sees herself as the franchise cornerstone, Cardoso shifted the focus back to her teammates.
‘‘I see myself as a great player that’s here to help my teammates with whatever they need,’’ she replied with a smile.
Some players of her caliber are comfortable broadcasting All-Star ambitions or MVP dreams. Cardoso, meanwhile, talks about her motivation in broader terms. She plays for her family, for her country, for the sisterhood that basketball creates.
To her, the upcoming season exists on a scale of ‘‘great’’ to ‘‘amazing.’’ What’s her
impression of the Sky’s new-look roster? Great. How does she feel about playing with elite point guard Skylar Diggins? Amazing.
If you’re looking for a more aggressive forecast about Cardoso, however, you can find it from her teammates, past and present. The Sun-Times has heard the same drumbeat from Boston, Reese and now Diggins: They want her to take up more space. They want her to decide to be dominant.
She has been working on it steadily.
So is this the year it translates into an All-Star nod? For Staley, it all comes back to the opportunity and context.
‘‘If she’s driving the car, she’s going to be on that All-Star [team],’’ Staley said.
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