Courtney Vandersloot injury: Chicago Sky legend leaves game vs. Indiana Fever with knee injury

CHICAGO — The first WNBA game at the United Center got off to an unfortunate start when Chicago Sky point guard and franchise icon Courtney Vandersloot went down with a knee injury just minutes into the team’s 79-52 loss to the Indiana Fever. 

Sky coach Tyler Marsh did not provide an update on Vandersloot’s status after the game, but did speak about how much she means to the team. Entering Saturday, Vandersloot was averaging 12 points and a team-leading 6.2 assists. 

“She’s our engine, she’s our captain and our leader out there,” Marsh said. “Obviously it’s a huge blow. Hopefully it’s not as serious as we may think. We’re hoping that she’s able to bounce back. For the time being we all gotta pick her up, we all gotta lift her up, we all gotta lift each other up.”

Less than five minutes into the game, Vandersloot was driving to the basket when she suddenly collapsed to the ground and grabbed for her right knee. 

Vandersloot remained on the ground for a brief period while her teammates and the Sky’s medical staff gathered around her. She was eventually carried off the court and taken straight to the locker room. Shortly after the incident, the Sky announced that Vandersloot would not return to the game. 

“I don’t know the extent of it, but we’re definitely thinking about her,” said acting Fever coach Austin Kelly, who stepped in for Stephanie White on Saturday. “Over the last couple of years we’ve had some battles when we were in Connecticut and she was in New York. I have such a huge amount of respect [for Vandersloot] and I’m sure the players in our locker room do as well. We never want to see that.”

Vandersloot was drafted by the Sky with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2011 WNBA Draft and spent her first 12 seasons with the organization. She made four All-Star appearances and five All-WNBA teams during her first tenure in Chicago, and helped the Sky win the first championship in franchise history in 2021. 

In 2023, Vandersloot decided to leave Chicago and signed with the New York Liberty in free agency. During her two seasons in Brooklyn, she helped the Liberty make back-to-back Finals, and win their first title in 2024. She was removed from the Liberty’s starting lineup during the 2024 playoffs, though, and was not going to regain her spot this season. 

Instead of remaining in New York as a back-up, Vandersloot decided to return to Chicago in free agency this winter, and assumed the Sky’s starting point guard role. Vandersloot was one of a number of veterans the team brought in this offseason, and has been a key figure on the court and in the locker room. 

It’s too early to say how long Vandersloot may be sidelined, but the initial reaction was not encouraging. If she is out for an extended period, that would be a big loss for the rebuilding Sky, and in particular their young bigs, Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese. 

Vandersloot is the Sky’s all-time leader in games played (364), points (3,743), assists (2,424) and steals (468).