Chicago Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon said guard Chennedy Carter and the team will “learn” from an incident in Saturday's game when Carter committed a Flagrant 1 foul on Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark.
“Physical play, intensity and competitive spirit are hallmarks of Chicago Sky basketball,” Weatherspoon said in a statement released Monday. “Chennedy got caught up in the heat of the moment in an effort to win the game.
“She and I have discussed what happened that was not appropriate, what we do or who we are. Chennedy understands that there are better ways to handle situations on the court, and she will learn from this, like all of us.” willpower.”
During the third quarter of a physical back-and-forth game won 71-70 by the Fever in Indianapolis, Carter shouldered Clark from behind and tackled her before the ball went in.
The play was not reviewed by game officials and was called an off-ball common foul, but on Sunday the WNBA upgraded it to flagrant 1 after a league review. After the game, Carter did not answer questions about the incident with Clark, but posted about it on social media.
Indiana coach Christie Sides and general manager Lin Dunn expressed concern after Saturday's game about the incident and the physical play Clark, the No. 1 draft pick, has faced this season.
“We went through this last year with [Aliyah Boston]” Sides said of the Fever's first pick in the 2023 draft. “New rookies, No. 1 picks… players want to show that they're veterans in this league, and they want to make it difficult for these rookies. Is that how it works.
“We send a video [to the WNBA] last year. We were filing our complaints to try to help AB. Then the same thing this year with Caitlin. Is the same. We are going to continue fighting to try to get the calls; “They see one thing and we see another.”
Clark said Sunday of the physical game: “You have to find a way to defend yourself. I grew up with two brothers and things were very physical…so I'm definitely prepared for it.”
Weatherspoon, one of the stars in the WNBA's early years with the New York Liberty, is in her first season as the league's head coach. Carter was the Atlanta Dream's fourth draft pick in 2020, but she was waived during her second season (playing 11 games in 2021) and then traded to the Los Angeles Sparks, with whom she appeared in 24 games in 2022.
Carter was released by the Sparks before the 2023 season and did not play in the WNBA last season. She signed as a free agent with Sky in February and is averaging 12.0 points in seven games.
“As a team, we will grow together,” Weatherspoon concluded in his statement, “and we will continue to work hard to show strong leadership and set a positive example for our competitors, fans and partners.”
