Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese share their mentality during training camp

The Chicago Sky are gearing up for their first preseason game on Friday against the Minnesota Lynx on the road. Rookies Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese understand that a spot on the team isn’t guaranteed and their mentality is everything.

“It’s a mindset just being able to come in here and not make any excuses because everybody in here is just fighting to be on a team and just fighting for greatness,” Reese said during training camp practice. “Coming in here, I didn’t have the mindset to just be tired, I had the mindset of just going to work every single day and figuring everything else out later. I’m just happy to be here in this moment.”

Reese was drafted No. 7 in the 2024 WNBA draft by the Sky, and Cardoso was drafted No. 3. After the draft, they shared a heartfelt moment when they realized they would be teammates, both expressing how happy they were to finally be teammates.

The WNBA has only 144 players, so even though a player is drafted, there is a fairly big chance they might not make a team. For example, guard Destanni Henderson from South Carolina was drafted 20th overall by the Indiana Fever in the 2022 WNBA draft and played all 36 games in her rookie season, including five starts. She was recently signed by the Atlanta Dream to a 2024 training camp contract.

With the introduction of an expansion team in the Bay Area starting play in 2025, there will be more roster spots. You not only have to be a talented player, but you have to be the right fit for the team and have the right mentality.

“Just being the best player I can be on and off the court and winning,” Cardoso said. “I came from a program that has a winning history. I don’t like to lose, so my goal is to come here and help these girls and help the team however I can to win games because I don’t like to lose.”

Story originally appeared on Rookie Wire