With WNBA action returning on Thursday following a month-long Olympic break, ESPN released a list of the league's 25 best players entering the second half of the season.
Many of the W's most prominent stars featured highly on the exercise, including A'ja Wilson , Breanna Stewart , and Caitlin Clark - but Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter was displeased at having to scroll all the way down to find herself in 24th after a prolific start to the season.
"How I average less minutes and my stats top in the league? But I am at the BOTTOM this isn't adding up, the hate be so obvious," she wrote over a screenshot of the list on Instagram. "F/G (field goal) percentage as well."
Carter was nowhere near ESPN's pre-season rankings just four months ago, as the Fort Worth native returned to the WNBA with Chicago after being waived for the 2023 season. Formerly a three-year standout at Texas A&M and once the sixth-leading NCAA scorer in 2018-19, Carter defies her 5'9 frame and attacks the rim relentlessly, maintaining stellar efficiency on a high volume during her breakout season with the Sky.
The new arrival began the year off the bench, handed fewer than 18 minutes a night in each of her first five outings, but consistent double-digit scoring outputs despite her limited playing time quickly earned her an expanded role — Carter earned her first start against Clark and the Indiana Fever on June 12 and has featured in Chicago's first five ever since.
A first look at Carter's stat line cast ESPN's ranking in a defensible light — she ranks 14th in scoring and 34th in effective field goal percentage with 2.7 assists a night — but a more thorough examination of her production speaks to Carter's frustrations.
With her early substitute role and low minute share weighting down her averages, Carter ranks third among all eligible players in points per 40 minutes and maintains her above-average efficiency despite 28.9 percent usage rate, also ranked third in the W. Overall, Carter's 22.5 PER (player efficiency ranking) is seventh in the WNBA, also inside the top-15 for Offensive Win Shares and Turnover Rate.
ESPN's snub continues a pattern of perceived disrespect for the sensational fourth-year guard, also left out of the WNBA's All-Star Game before the Olympics in Phoenix. Carter has also previously downplayed more popular perimeter players as well, questioning Clark's versatility during her early season struggles. She said: "Beyond three-point shooting, what does she bring to the table, man."
Carter evidently has new motivation in returning from the WNBA's midseason break, joining Angel Reese as Chicago is back in action Thursday against Phoenix in the Windy City. The Sky will hit the road for the first time on Saturday, traveling to Los Angeles to take on the Sparks at 5:00 p.m. ET.
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