“Woke up & remembered I’m not a rookie anymore,” said Angel Reese in a statement. She’s right. Ever since she landed on her left wrist, her rookie season came to an abrupt end. It was the hairline fracture that cost her the remaining games in her rookie campaign. She would soon be joined by the other half of the Chicago Sky rookie duo — Kamilla Cardoso. But they had each other’s backs to not exit without making the most of what they had.

According to Statmamba, both “Chi-Town Barbie” and Kamilla Cardoso made history with the most combined rebounds averaged in a single season. While Reese leads the entire league with 13.1 rebounds per game, the Sky’s center stands just below her with 7.9 rebounds per game. Just like the 22-year-old Maryland native, Kamilla Cardoso’s rookie season ended in the most unexpected way.

Before the game against the Atlanta Dream, when the Chicago Sky needed her the most, Cardoso remained benched. It was a shoulder injury that restricted her to cheering her teammates from the sidelines. But for as long as the rookies were on the court, they ensured to leave a mark together before they exited.

Earlier, in a June 24th game versus the Fever, Reese racked up 25 points and 16 rebounds, while Cardoso finished with a career-high 16 points and 10 rebounds. In the process, the pair of rookie teammates became the first since 1998 to record 15 points and 10 rebounds in a WNBA game.

“I didn’t want this one to slip out of our hands. I think just being able to have teammates that believe in you, believe in each other, and have each other’s backs,” shared the 22-year-old forward in a post-match conference. In July earlier, in a game against the Atlanta Dream, Reese’s 11 points and 13 rebounds, and Cardoso’s 10 points and 11 rebounds, made them the first rookie duo to post most joint double-doubles in the league with 3.

It might not have concluded well, but with this recent triumph, the pair of rookies marked a near-perfect end.

The rookie duo looks for a complete run now

After resting for days, both Reese and Cardoso will be back to play. Since the regular season has concluded, it won’t be for the Chicago Sky until next year. However, the pair of rookies will be heading to other leagues for the offseason. Reese, as she inked a contract with Breanna Stewart’s Unrivaled, will stay in Miami.

Meanwhile, Cardoso will be headed abroad for the winter. As confirmed by local reporters, she will compete for the Shanghai Swordfish in the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA). For now, her immediate focus is recovering from her lingering injury, but soon she will work on her defensive switches, finishing efficiency at the rim and mid-range, and improving her timing on blocks.

This is one of the major reasons for her commitment to a league that heavily emphasizes post-players. Reese, too, will look forward to improving her numbers. While Cardoso will do it in 5-on-5 play, Reese will make it happen in a 3-on-3 full-court setting. So although they couldn’t help the Sky secure a playoff spot this season, their preparation for next year seems to be in place already.