Last Wednesday, Chennedy Carter was sidelined from the Chicago Sky‘s game against the Washington Mystics after testing positive for COVID-19. Her absence continued on Friday when she missed a key game against Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever. During her recovery, Carter shared a video from a Chicago hospital, updating fans on her condition.

Carter has been a crucial part of the Sky’s offense this season, leading the team with an average of 17.2 points per game. Without her, Chicago’s offensive rhythm took a hit, resulting in losses in both games against the Mystics and the Fever.

The game against Las Vegas Aces was the fourth straight game that Carter missed out on after being listed as questionable due to health and safety protocols.

“We’re looking forward to having her back,” Sky head coach Teresa Weatherspoon said after the 90-71 loss to the Aces. “That’s what we expect and we’ll see when we get home and be able to get more hands-on of where she is. It’ll be great to have her back.”

Mental strength

In a recent interview with Chicago Tribune’s Shakeia Taylor, Carter talked about how her mental resilience has contributed to her growth as a player. This season, she has matched her production from her rookie year in 2020, honing her shooting and offensive s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁s even further.

Although she stands at five-foot-nine, Carter has proven herself to be a tough challenge for defenders, relying on her quickness and precision.

“As far as on the court, I just tried to work on everything that I wasn’t good at: my ballhandling s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁s, my versatility, my quickness, my first step and my foot work,” Carter said. “And then just my mental ability to be able to focus even when things are not going good for me.”