Teresa Weatherspoon, the Chicago Sky’s head coach, was under fire for failing to accept responsibility for guard Chennedy Carter’s foul on Indiana Fever freshman Caitlin Clark. She has now issued an official statement about the matter. The foul, which happened late in the third quarter of the Sky’s June 1 game against the Fever, was committed away from the ball and was not initially judged egregious. Following a review of Carter’s shoulder check on Clark, the WNBA elevated the penalty to a Flagrant
After the game, neither Carter nor Weatherspoon discussed the foul, but the Sky coach has now issued a statement condemning Carter’s actions.
“Physical play, intensity, and a competitive spirit are hallmarks of Chicago Sky basketball,” Weatherspoon said. “Chennedy get caught up in the heat of the moment in an attempt to win the game. She and I reviewed what happened and agreed that it was not suitable for 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 as we all will,” the statement continued. “As a team, we will grow together and continue to work hard to display strong leadership and set a positive example for our competitors, fans and partners.”
“Teresa Weatherspoon didn’t distinguish herself at the postgame press conference,” another X user remarked. Sarah Spain of ESPN takes issue with Carter’s refusal to speak for a different, more rational reason. “My issue is the not talking about it more than the actually doing it,” Spain posted to X. “Players become frustrated, triggered, or lose composure at times, but she is making things more difficult for herself by not addressing them. This permits others to put words in her mouth.”
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