The highly anticipated rookie class has lived up to the hype.

Kamilla Cardoso gets real about Caitlin Clark hype amid Angel Reese's strong start in the WNBA 

The future of the WNBA looks so bright, you might need a new pair of shades. Los Angeles Sparks forward Cameron Brink is already generating buzz as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Meanwhile, Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, the top pick before Brink, is the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year honors despite her team’s struggles to secure wins.

Chicago is becoming the home of two rising WNBA stars, with one yet to even debut in the league. Angel Reese is already garnering praise for her tenacity and defensive prowess with the Sky.

Meanwhile, Kamilla Cardoso, the third overall pick in the highly touted 2024 draft, is still recuperating from a shoulder injury sustained during preseason. Despite her absence from the court, Cardoso remains an active observer of the early season action, taking it upon herself to address some of the narratives she’s encountered.

Cardoso took to Instagram live on Saturday to address the notion that the WNBA’s recent growth, marked by milestones like charter flights and signature shoe deals, can be solely attributed to Caitlin Clark’s arrival in the league. As the Fever’s top pick following an outstanding college career at the University of Iowa, Clark has drawn significant attention.

However, Cardoso emphasized, “I have one thing to say about this. All of our games are sold out.” She pointed out that the league’s popularity surge isn’t solely due to one individual. “So it’s not because of one person,” Cardoso asserted before concluding, “And goodbye, that was the last thing I’m going to say about this.”

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Even in Cardoso’s absence, Angel Reese and the Sky have kicked off the 2024 season on a strong note, indicating that the franchise’s rebuild is progressing ahead of schedule. With a 2-2 record, the Sky have shown promise, despite a narrow loss to the Connecticut Sun on Saturday night, marked by Connecticut star Alyssa Thomas’s ejection for a hard foul on Reese.

Cardoso is set to make her return from injury next week, just in time for the Sky’s anticipated matchup against Caitlin Clark’s Fever at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Having recently led her South Carolina Gamecocks to victory over Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes in the NCAA championship game, Cardoso will have the opportunity to demonstrate that the WNBA’s success doesn’t hinge solely on the achievements of one player.