Kamilla Soares ready to bring Brazil back on the World map

BELEM (Brazil) – Kamilla Soares Cardoso hadn't been born yet during the golden age of Brazilian women's basketball, but she's now poised to return her country to where it belongs.

Born in April of 2001, the generation that won the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 1994 and earned Olympic Games silver at Atlanta 1996 and bronze at Sydney 2000 came before her time. 

"I THINK EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE IN LIFE. IF I CAN MAKE IT, EVERYONE ELSE IN BRAZIL CAN MAKE IT."

The squad that finished in 4th place at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2006, held in her home country, featured current teammate Erika de Souza but that's about the only link with the roster that is about to embark on the FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belem.

Soares and Brazil will have their work cut out for them in a group that also includes a pair of Top 10 teams from the FIBA World Ranking Women, presented by Nike (No. 3 Australia and No. 10 Serbia) and a German outfit also looking to make history.

Good thing Kamilla is playing the best basketball of her life.

 The 2.04M (6'8") center tied her career-high in points (23) on Sunday, 28 January in the University of South Carolina’s victory over Vanderbilt in NCAA college basketball.

That came a couple of days after a high-profile showdown with collegiate (and USA national team) star Angel Reese.

The Montes Claros native is currently a senior after starting her NCAA career at the University of Syracuse in 2020 and has steadily risen through the ranks.

Her performances are catching the attention of the best teams in the world, on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

Soares has been drawing praise from everywhere, including former teammate Aliyah Boston, who has an impressive record at 22 only with USA Basketball (U17 and U19 World Champion, AmeriCup Women's 2021 winner).

The 22-year-old from Brazil is averaging 13.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.8 blocks per game while shooting 60 percent from the field during her dominant 2023-24 season with the Gamecocks.

She's hoping to bring that level of excellence to the national team once again, just like she did at the FIBA Women's AmeriCup 2023 . That's where she led Brazil to a gold medal with a terrific performance that included MVP honors after dropping a 20-point, 11-rebound double-double against USA in the Final.

After making her national team debut at the Women's AmeriCup 2021 (9.9 points and 8.0 rebounds in 18 minutes per game) and shining at the FIBA South American Basketball Championship 2022 (14.8 points and 11.4 rebounds per contest), Cardoso has very little else to prove at the continental level.

Former national team player, World Cup winner in 1994, and now FIBA players commission member Roseli Gustavo has high expectations for Kamilla in this event at home.

"I have watched her in a lot of games and she has improved a lot. She can truly make that difference and step up in this Qualifying Tournament from last year's FIBA Women's AmeriCup."

That's why her sights are set on this summer's Olympic Games, where she's hoping to end Brazil's 8-year draught at the world level after they failed to qualify for the Olympic Games in Tokyo as well as the 2018 and 2022 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup. And she's not only playing for herself.

“Playing for the national team meant a lot,” Soares said about her last summer with Brazil.

“There are plenty of girls and boys back at home who have a dream to play basketball, but they don't think they're capable of doing it. When I'm doing this for my country, I'm representing every one of these little boys and girls.

“I think everything is possible in life. If I can make it, everyone else in Brazil can make it. They just have to keep working hard. I want to bring basketball to my hometown of Montes Claro, In Brazil, we have a lot of poor people, and sports can save lives. Sports can get young people off the streets. I want to bring basketball to help those people.”

FIBA