Chicago Sky center Kamilla Cardoso had a memorable second season. She played all 40 games and averaged 13.6 points on 52.8% shooting, along with 8.5 rebounds per game. But her impressive play wasn’t enough to lift the Sky, who finished 10–34-tied for the worst record in the WNBA. Now, heading into the offseason, Cardoso is taking her talents somewhere else!

On Friday, the Sky star revealed a major personal move. She announced that she has signed with Project B, a new global 5-on-5 league launching its inaugural season from November 2026 to April 2027-perfectly aligned with the WNBA offseason.

Notably, the league offers players something rare, equity stakes on top of their salaries. And those salaries are massive. According to Front Office Sports, women’s contracts in Project B will reach seven figures and start at $2 million annually. But for Cardoso, that wasn’t the biggest selling point. It was the opportunity to travel.

“Hi everyone, Kamilla Cardoso here… I’m really excited to finally announce that I’ll be joining Project B… Being able to travel, getting to know new places, this is such a blessing that I don’t take for granted. I’m also super proud of being able to represent Brazil, and I can’t wait to get started. Let’s get it!” she said in her announcement on Instagram.

As Cardoso highlighted, Project B plans to host seven two-week tournaments across four continents, including Europe, Asia, and Latin America. So, a spot is finalised for the 2026 season too. As of now, she’s heading to China. After playing for the overseas league during previous offseasons, Cardoso joins a strong second batch of players that includes Li Meng and Janelle Salaun.

Even at Project B, she’s not the first one to ink a deal with the upcoming league. She’s joined the list with major stars like Jewell Loyd, Jonquel Jones, Nneka Ogwumike, and Alyssa Thomas. So yes, playing overseas during the offseason isn’t unusual. But doing so right now carries heavier meaning.

Kamilla Cardoso’s commitment comes at a crucial point…

The WNBA is in a transformational phase. The league is growing faster than ever, yet it has landed in a labor dispute. The players’ union pulled out of the current CBA last year in October. They signed a 30-day extension, but still, no new deal is in sight. The players are stuck on their demands for increased salaries and a better revenue-sharing system. 

The league, meanwhile, isn’t really able to come to a common ground with the union. And, making the process harder is competing leagues-like Project B and Unrivaled. These offer higher salaries, revenue-sharing systems and more freedom. This means players finally have real choices, and that puts pressure on the WNBA. 

Now the league tries to manage expansion plans for 2026, sort out draft timelines, and deal with over 100 players hitting free agency this winter. Meanwhile, more players are also committing to offseason leagues than ever before. The question now is simple: Can the WNBA continue to grow while fighting through its toughest labor battle yet?