While Unrivaled arrived and solved the overseas travel dilemma for many WNBA players, some still chose to play abroad. One of them? Kamilla Cardoso. Since she arrived in China, the only news we’ve been hearing is about her monster stat lines for the Shanghai Baoshan Dahua Swordfish. But recently, a shocking rumor took over the internet.

It claimed she was being “held hostage” by her team. Fans even started threads like “Free Kamilla Cardoso,” with some pointing to her underwhelming 2-point, 6-rebound performance as proof that she wanted out.

While most of the posts are deleted now, a viral Tweet read, “Allegedly, Shanghai Baoshan Dahua Swordfish denied Kamilla’s request to return home despite health issues, stating she could only leave if she paid a hefty fine.”

Well, turns out, IT’S FAKE. Cardoso herself hopped on a live stream to shut it all down. “I didn’t say anything about being held hostage,” she stated, clearly baffled by the rumors. She even called out those fueling the false claims, warning, “You all better go on Twitter and delete everything because they might sue you for defamation.” 

And as for the idea that she’d ditch before playoffs? She laughed it off, saying, “Why would I leave before playoffs? I did all this work to leave before playoffs?” Safe to say, she’s locked in.

And honestly, she should be. The Brazilian big has been nothing short of dominant in her debut season overseas. Cardoso is averaging an insane 21.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 64.5% from the field. She’s already had jaw-dropping performances, like a 37-point, 15-rebound, 8-assist game and a massive 40-point, 17-rebound showing. 

Her play even earned her the Hoops Agents Player of the Week award for Round 27. That doesn’t exactly scream “hostage,” does it?

Now, with Cardoso leading the charge, the Swordfish currently hold the fourth spot in their WCBA group. They’d likely be even higher if not for a few early-season losses. And the Chicago Sky star isn’t just thriving—she’s the top player on her team and one of the league’s best in both points and rebounds (6th-best at 10.5 RPG).

Even Sky’s new head coach, Tyler Marsh, has been keeping tabs, already envisioning how her dominance will translate to her second WNBA season. And if there was/ is any friction between her and Shanghai, her own coach sure isn’t showing it. 

Kamilla Cardoso’s overseas coach can’t stop raving about her

Kamilla Cardoso didn’t waste a second making her mark in the Chinese league. In her very first game with the Swordfish along with her Sky teammate Chennedy Carter (who is in the same team), the rookie dropped 25 points, snagged 13 rebounds, dished out 3 assists, and even threw in a block—all while shooting an efficient 64.7% from the field. 

But while her offensive game is already elite, her head coach, Wengui Li, has just one piece of advice for her. “Kamilla has the best offensive skills of any foreign player this season,” Li said, clearly in awe of her talent. 

“My one ask: please lower your center of gravity a bit to avoid injuries! But she doesn’t listen to me (just like my own kid😂). Fans, do me a favor—remind her to lower that center of gravity!” And if you thought Li’s appreciation stopped there, the man was so impressed with her commitment that he made sure to point out something special about her work ethic. “I’ll give her a day off—she played through the flu on medication. I’m deeply moved,” he said.

The coach Li also believes her stint in China will only elevate her game. “She’ll be more confident and take her game to another level in the WNBA after playing with us this season,” he said. And honestly, he’s right. 

The experience, the competition, and the minutes she’s getting overseas are setting her up for a huge sophomore season with the Sky. Meanwhile, back in the U.S., her Sky teammate Angel Reese is busy tearing it up in Unrivaled, but something tells us Cardoso is right where she needs to be.

So, yes, it doesn’t look like she’s in any rush to leave Shanghai. If anything, she’s locked in and laser-focused on finishing the job with the Swordfish.