Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark’s clear feelings on Sky controversy as contract decision made

The Chicago Sky were at the centre of a controversial moment in the WNBA last season, and it looks to have taken its toll on the roster

Chennedy Carter won’t be offered a new deal with the Chicago Sky according to reports, and team-mate Angel Reese likely won’t be best pleased.

Carter was a strong performer last season, averaging 17.5 points per game. Despite missing out on the playoffs, the squad was well-regarded for its tight-knit spirit both during matches and behind the scenes.

Reese, who was snapped up as the seventh pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft by Chicago, found a close ally in Carter. The two forged a tight bond at Sky, with Carter not shying away from shouting up for Reese for Rookie of the Year.

In August last year, Carter confidently endorsed the athlete, who is nicknamed ‘Barbie’. She said: “Barbie’s Rookie of the Year. There’s no other way to put it. She goes out, she does her work every single night, no matter what team we’re facing. I’m telling you, Barbie’s Rookie of the Year, for sure.”

Reese’s pursuit for the rookie accolade was derailed by a wrist injury that benched her for the final six matches. Caitlin Clark, a former college rival, claimed the honor instead with 66 out of 67 votes – with Reese receiving the remaining vote.

Clark has also played a significant role in Reese and Carter’s relationship, but not for the reasons many new basketball fans might assume. Clark and Carter were involved in an incident during a game between Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky, where 22-year-old Clark was knocked to the ground and taunted by Carter late in the match.

While many would view this as part of the physicality of women’s basketball, this incident escalated into something much more significant, and we have delved into the full extent of what transpired below.

Carter, Clark, and Reese’s incident continued off-court

In June last year, the Fever were playing Sky at home and leading 54-49 in the third quarter. As they entered the final 10 minutes of the game, the Sky were making a comeback and were ready for the challenge.

Carter, who was playing guard for the Sky, pushed opponent Clark to the floor and taunted the rookie while the ball was out of play. Officials initially deemed it a common foul, but the WNBA later upgraded it to a ‘flagrant 1’ foul.

The Sky clinched a narrow 71-70 win, but Reese didn’t hold back in accusing unfair treatment towards her team post-game, particularly concerning the nature of fouls. On the day, the 22-year-old said: “Did you see when J.J. knocked me down? Go check the film, J.J. knocked me down. She didn’t get a flagrant one though, she got a regular foul, but it was the same thing. You can’t pick and choose which players get flagrant fouls and flagrant ones and twos. Go check the clip, it’s the same.”

However, the controversy escalated when an irate fan confronted the Sky team at their hotel as they disembarked the bus. Carter became a target on June 5, 2024, when a fan confronting the Chicago Sky at their accommodation singled her out, according to ESPN.

The altercation, captured in a now-deleted video, showcased the individual attempting to speak to the 26-year-old following her previous encounter with Clark.

In defense of their team-mate, many Sky players, including Reese, took a stance online against the harassment. Reese said: “Finding out our teams hotel to pull with a camera as we get off the bus and put it in my teammates face and HARASS her is NASTY WORK. this really is outta control and needs to STOP.”

Michaela Onyenwere also weighed in, confirming security intervened before the situation escalated further. She said: “Getting harassed at our hotel is where the line needs to be drawn. Some ‘fans’ have NO CHILLLL.”

Onyenwere added: “We have security, and they did a great job of de-escalating the situation/protecting us. It’s still extremely weird and crosses the boundaries meeting us right when we get off the bus.”

Clark defended Carter after the incident occurred, attributing the foul to the athlete’s “competitive” nature. The 22-year-old said: “Basketball’s competitive. I get it. Sometimes your emotions get the best of you—it happened to me multiple times throughout the course of my career. People are competitive.

“[Carter is] having a tremendous season. She’s played great basketball — in my eyes, probably in first place for Sixth Player of the Year. She’s been great off the bench for them. She had 25 [points] here last night and really helped them win the game.”