feature-image

Getty

feature-image

Getty

With less than a week left in the regular season, the Chicago Sky (13-25) was still in the hunt for the eighth playoff spot. They might have been just one step away from making it, but the roster hadn’t been playing at the level they would’ve liked in the last few weeks. Now, things have gotten even worse: the team’s leading scorer was out.

Watch What’s Trending Now!

Before their fourth and final game against the Atlanta Dream, the Sky announced on X that Chennedy Carter had been ruled out of the September 17th game due to a foot injury. The guard was allegedly seen receiving treatment on her foot during the game against the Phoenix Mercury, possibly leading to the decision tonight.

ADVERTISEMENT

It was certainly a huge heartbreak for the Windy City. With an impressive 17.2 points per game average, she could have contributed to the team’s offense, which ranked 9th. Even her physicality during games was something opponents feared. But all of this went in vain as she missed the team’s most important game of the season.

On top of that, she couldn’t fulfill the promise she made to her teammates: “I’m ready to work with you guys. I missed you guys. I want to make a run. I’m here to do that, she had said in a post-practice session.

ADVERTISEMENT

This was after missing several games due to COVID-19 protocols. Just when the Sky felt they couldn’t handle the cons of her absence anymore, she made a comeback. “Let’s f***ing do that. Let’s turn the page, forget about these last couple of games, and focus on the next ones,” she added. But once again, both Carter and the Sky find themselves in the same situation.

ADVERTISEMENT

She was not the only one out from the Sky’s roster

No one can deny that things have gone downhill for the Chicago Sky in recent weeks. While Carter was out, two more important players joined her on the sidelines: Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso. According to Julia Poe, the latter also couldn’t contribute due to a shoulder injury.

ADVERTISEMENT

Until the last couple of weeks, the Sky had both a leading scorer and the league’s best rebounder. But it seemed like cards the Sky never played. Angel Reese, the rookie sensation leading the league in rebounding, was out just as Carter stepped back in.

Reese landed on her hand during the game against the Sparks and incurred a hairline fracture. The rookie preferred to take all necessary precautions to avoid worsening it. And it cost her a season’s end, the Rookie of the Year title, and very possibly a playoff spot for the Sky.

ADVERTISEMENT

With the 86-70 win, the Dream now moves ahead with 14-25 on the board. Washington Mystics follow next with 13-26, same as Sky. All three teams have one more game remaining, but if Carter and Cardoso’s absence is to continue, the Windy City might as well count out.

Share this with a friend:

Link Copied!

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Written by

author-image

Yashika Dutta

2,141 Articles

Yashika Dutta is a Basketball Writer at EssentiallySports, covering the NCAA, WNBA, and Olympics. A member of the EssentiallySports Journalistic Excellence Program, she specializes in the high-stakes energy of college basketball, with features on the Big Ten Conference and the chaos of March Madness that bring fans right to the hardwood. Her coverage has even caught the attention of UConn coaches and Olympian Rori Dunk, earning her recognition for both accuracy and insight. A former state-level basketball player, Yashika channels her on-court experience into reporting that captures the game’s intensity beyond the box score. With a player’s sense of timing and a journalist’s instinct for storytelling, she shines a light on rising stars like Caitlin Clark and JuJu Watkins, while unpacking the pressures and triumphs that shape college hoops. Whether charting a Big Ten rivalry or chronicling the ethos of March Madness, Yashika connects fans to the heart of the game with energy and authenticity.

Know more

Edited by

editor-image

Shivatmika Manvi

ADVERTISEMENT