Rivalries are the heartbeat of any sports league, and the WNBA has produced plenty of them. From the classic battles between UConn icons Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird to the modern MVP showdown between Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson, these clashes have always drawn fans to the arena. But what happens when one side refuses to fuel the narrative? That’s exactly what happened with the rumored rivalry between Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese, which Reese dismissed before it could truly take shape.

When these two stars joined the Chicago Sky in 2024, everyone expected sparks to fly in the locker room. But Chi-town Barbie quickly shut these down, stating, “I hate that people always try to put us against each other. We’re better together.” However, a recent statement from veteran coach Becky Hammon has once again made fans wonder about the rivalry.

The statement came before the Las Vegas vs Chicago game, in which Hammon lauded the way Cardoso plays. But she also reignited the debate of having two star players on a roster. “I think she’s going to keep getting better and better. It’s interesting that they drafted Angel (Reese) and Cardoso in the same draft and have figured out a way to make it work. I don’t know if that’s always the easiest combination to play huge bigs like that in the way the league moves,” Hammon said.

Keeping the rivalry talks aside, both Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso have been instrumental in carrying Chicago. “Two great players together, nobody’s going to get any rebounds on us,” Cardoso said after the 2024 draft. That holds true in their sophomore season also. Currently, Reese (12.4) and Cardoso (8.4) are number one and five on the rebounding leaderboards this season. However, Hammon believes Cardoso can elevate her game further by adding one more aspect to her game.

“I think her [Cardoso] development, and also Angel’s development, is coming into more of a point forward [role]. I think her playmaking ability is really what could set her apart. We talk about rebounds being her thing. But if she gets into that mode, she could be a real problem… I think she’s very talented, and from what I understand, she’s willing to put the work in. When you have a player like that who’s hungry and wants to be good, you could possibly have a generational-type player on your hands,” said the veteran WNBA coach.

Having two generational talents on your team is a plus for the Chicago Sky. Even the veteran WNBA coach agrees on it. But handling them will be a daunting task, something Hammon failed to accomplish herself.

Becky Hammon’s Setback Can Fuel Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese’s Growth

Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso have spent much of their college careers battling in the paint. But when the Chicago Sky made them teammates, both welcomed it with open arms. “I’m just so excited I get to play with Kamilla. I’ve been playing against her since high school,” said Reese after the 2024 draft. And the two former rivals are now growing into a lethal force under the net on the same team.

Reese not only squashed the rivalry but is also a constant source of support for her teammate during the games. Revealing how she supports Cardoso, Reese stated, “I tell her that nobody can guard you. Everybody in front of you should be fooled.” That encouragement is paying off on both ends. In their rookie season, Reese (446) and Cardoso (254) alone took 700 rebounds, with the former breaking the rookie rebounds record. This year, the two have already surpassed their rookie numbers. Sounds similar to the A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum run under Becky Hammon, right? However, the veteran coach was unable to manage having two generational players on her team.

The result? Plum left for the LA Sparks and is thriving there now. Plum began sensing that her role was diminishing in 2024, which she revealed to Sue Bird. “It’s just more feeling that ‘Okay, I’m going to take less money, I want to be here, but I have to take less again?’ And then like, ‘Okay, yeah, I’ll set cross screens and back screens for A’ja [Wilson] all day, no problem.’ But then you start to feel like, ‘Okay, am I becoming the fourth option?’ And we’re not winning,” Plum confessed.

The Chicago Sky have the opportunity to avoid what happened with the Aces and potentially form a superteam around the lethal Reese-Cardoso duo. But for that, they would have to cater to both stars with equal respect.