CHICAGO–With 5.4 seconds left in the game, the ball was where it needed to be: in the hands of Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter.
Carter had just hit a step-back 3 on the previous possession to cut the Aces lead to three.
Now, with “Let’s go Sky!” chants blaring, Carter crossed over to her right, shaking a premier defender in Jackie Young. Young recovered, using her length to get a hand in Carter’s face as she unloaded from behind the arc.
But the ball swished through the net, tying the game 75-75.
“I’m here,” Carter screamed to a roaring crowd. “I’m here.”
Those familiar with Carter’s career arc likely understand the sentiment.
Despite predictions that Carter would become the best player in the 2020 draft class, the former Texas A&M standout has struggled to belong in the WNBA. Carter was suspended by the Atlanta Dream in 2021 and waived by the Los Angeles Sparks in 2023.
After taking a season off from the WNBA, Carter signed a training camp contract with the Sky.
Many counted her out.
But in Chicago, Carter earned head coach Teresa Weatherspoon’s trust. She came off the bench her first 12 games in a Sky uniform before becoming the team’s leading scorer.
Now she’s one of the best clutch players in the league, ranking fourth in clutch points amongst guards this season.
“She’s someone who is unguardable when she puts her mind to it,” Sky small forward Michaela Onyenwere told reporters at a shootaround in June.
When defenders get too close, Carter puts them on her hip and drives all the way to the rim, where she makes 63.4% of her shots.
When defenders give her space, she elevates for a jumper. Her midrange efficiency is currently top ten in the league.
And when the team needs a clutch 3-pointer–though long-range shooting isn’t her specialty–she delivers.
“She’s starting to make a stamp for herself in this league,” Aces star A’Ja Wilson told reporters postgame on Aug. 25.
Ultimately, Carter’s heroics fell short against the defending champions. In the final 1.8 seconds, Las Vegas countered with a perfect out-of-bounds lob play to win the game 77-75.
The 11-18 Sky are still a young, growing team.
But Carter has made it clear that long term, the Sky can build a dynamic offense around her.
Fitting in with Weatherspoon’s paint-dominant Sky
After Carter’s last two stints with WNBA teams ended in disappointment, why does she seem so at ease with the Sky?
She often attributes this to her relationship with Weatherspoon.
“Spoon allows me to be me,” Carter told reporters at a postgame press conference in July.
Described by former teammate and current Aces head coach Becky Hammon as “the ultimate player’s coach,” Weatherspoon finds ways to keep Carter close. During games, Weatherspoon is often the first to grab an emotional Carter and put her arm around her. The two are always communicating, even in heated moments.
It also helps that Carter’s style of play fits perfectly with Weatherspoon’s vision of dominating the paint. The Sky’s top two 2024 draft picks were post players who excel at creating paint opportunities.
But few are better at converting in the lane than Carter. Not only does she lead all guards in paint points this season, her 10.6 paint points per game holds weight historically.
To find another guard who averaged at least ten points per game in the paint, one has to go back to Hall of Famer Seimone Augustus. And one has to round up. Augustus scored 9.9 points per game in the paint during the 2007 WNBA season.
So the first step to building out Weatherspoon’s paint-dominant vision will be re-signing Carter. After this season, Carter will command a premium contract in free agency. But as a restricted free agent, the Sky can match any offer she receives. As long as Carter’s bond with Weatherspoon doesn’t break down, paying up will be more than worth it.
The next step will be adding and developing pieces around Carter to make the vision more dynamic.
Kamilla Cardoso returns from Olympic break with more confidence
Missing the first six games of the season set No. 3 draft pick Kamilla Cardoso back a bit. While rookie teammate Angel Reese hit her stride, Cardoso was still finding her footing.
The 6’7 former collegiate national champion averaged only eight points per game before the Olympic break.
“Everyone tells me, ‘oh you gotta be more aggressive,’” Cardoso told reporters at practice during the break.
In her first five games back, Cardoso took the message to heart. Not only is the rookie center finishing better through contact, she’s showing off a nice touch in front of the basket.
Since the break, Cardoso is averaging 12.6 points per game on 64.4% shooting from the field and 71.4% from the line. Before the break, she shot only 46.2% from the field and 62.2% from the line.
This is the same type of improvement that helped Reese achieve her historic double-double streak.
Cardoso is also benefiting from chemistry with Carter, who’s given Cardoso 20 assists so far this season. That’s the second most of any assist pair on the team.
“Teams are locking in on our guards, which… leaves [our posts] wide open at the block,” Carter told reporters after a win in July. “So all they have to do is catch the ball… and score.”
Defensively, Cardoso has upped her blocks (1.6) and defensive rebounds per game (6.0) since the break. She recorded a season-high five blocks against the Aces, most of which came against two-time MVP A’Ja Wilson.
But Cardoso has plenty of room to improve on defense. According to Sky assistant coach Sydney Johnson, Cardoso can work on being more active before her opponent catches the ball.
“[In college] you can kind of allow your person to catch the ball and play off of that,” Johnson told The Next. “These [WNBA] players are so good if you allow them deep catches or even catches in their sweet spot, they kinda already have you on your heels.”
Johnson believes Cardoso can make these types of adjustments before the season ends. If he’s right, Cardoso’s slow start may begin to feel like a distant memory.
