What the WNBA is still getting wrong about Chennedy Carter originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Chennedy Carter spoke to the media in Atlanta for just 74 seconds on Sunday, after her 20 points off the bench helped the Las Vegas Aces to an 85-84 win over the Dream.
The brief appearance in front of the media led to a new round of speculation on what could possibly be wrong with the gifted but volatile scoring guard.
In a terse, awkward presser, Carter mentioned she was "going through it," and she said she was "disappointed" at only receiving five minutes in the fourth quarter. While Aces head coach Becky Hammon said Carter "didn't do anything wrong" — beyond needing to work on her defense — the guard confirmed later Sunday that she is dealing with a family-related personal issue.
MORE: Aces' Chennedy Carter is 2nd player in WNBA history with a game like this, and she validates Vegas
The latest swell of discourse around Carter recalls controversies that have dogged her pro career since Atlanta drafted her fourth overall in 2020.
Despite her prodigious scoring talent, Carter is on her fourth WNBA team. The Dream suspended her in 2021 for "conduct detrimental to the team" and swiftly traded her to the Los Angeles Sparks ahead of the 2022 season. She didn't play in the WNBA in 2023 or in 2025.
Carter gained widespread notoriety for a flagrant foul on Caitlin Clark during the Indiana Fever star's rookie season. The shove garnered headlines around the sports world and uncomfortable discourse about "protecting" Clark ensued, though the eventual Rookie of the Year quickly moved on from the incident.
But fans and analysts can't let another manufactured controversy detract from how Carter is contributing to the Aces' success early this season.
Carter on Sunday set a WNBA record for the most points off the bench in a player's first five games. She is on pace for a new career high with 19.4 points per game, and she has been providing the scoring punch that Vegas sought. The champs are 4-1 in large part thanks to Carter's contributions.
For her entire career, Carter has needed a place to settle. Maybe she's found it within a winning culture in Las Vegas. This is what the WNBA keeps getting wrong about Carter: she can be a standout player on a winning team, if only afforded the chance to shine.
More WNBA news:
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Dream's Angel Reese has a nightmare game with ghastly turnovers galore
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How Caitlin Clark set WNBA record after scorebook error — then broke it again
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Angel Reese steals spotlight with bold outfit before rough Dream outing
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How Aliyah Boston's streak of 275 consecutive games played snapped with Fever injury
