Chicago Sky level guard Courtney Vandersloot has torn her proper ACL, the workforce introduced on Sunday night. Vandersloot suffered the damage when she drove to the basket in Saturday’s match-up in opposition to the Indiana Fever and was carried off the court docket.
The 36-year-old guard has been considered one of Chicago’s high gamers this season, averaging 10.6 factors and 5.3 assists per recreation. In her absence, an already-difficult season for the Sky will solely get more difficult.
Vandersloot, a five-time WNBA All-Star, has spent 12 of her 14 WNBA seasons with the Sky. She’s gained two WNBA championships — one with the Sky and one with the New York Liberty — and ranks second all-time in WNBA common season assists.
The damage instantly poses two questions: what does Vandersloot’s future appear like, and the way will Chicago survive the remainder of the season with out their flooring common?
Vandersloot will doubtless miss all of this season and the upcoming Unequalled season
Most basketball gamers are sidelined for a yr after tearing their ACLs, and it’s unlikely that Vandersloot will have the ability to return to the court docket any sooner.
Because it at present stands, Vandersloot is the third-oldest participant within the league, with solely Seattle Storm ahead Alysha Clark (aged 37) and Indiana Fever ahead DeWanna Bonner (additionally aged 37) forward of her. Whether or not the Corridor of Fame level guard will endure a grueling rehab course of and return to the ground stays to be seen.
The already-struggling Sky will now be much more shorthanded
The Sky are at present 2-5 and homeowners of the WNBA’s third-worst file. Now, they’ll be with out their third-leading scorer and main playmaker in Vandersloot. Up to now this season, offseason acquisition Ariel Atkins has been the workforce’s main scorer, averaging 13.7 factors on 43.2% taking pictures. However, the workforce’s choice to commerce away the No. 3 choose to the Washington Mystics to accumulate Atkins has been scrutinized — Sonia Citron, who the Mystics chosen with the choose, has averaged 14.4 factors on 48.9% taking pictures.
As well as, the Sky’s two star put up gamers have struggled this season; Angel Reese, who was an All-Star final season and averaged 13.6 factors on 39.1% taking pictures, is now all the way down to 9.1 factors per recreation on 30.9% taking pictures. Kamilla Cardoso’s effectivity has additionally regressed, albeit far more barely — the 6’7 middle went from averaging 9.8 factors and seven.9 rebounds on 52.1% taking pictures final season to 10.9 factors and 6.1 rebounds on 50.8% this season.
In Vandersloot’s absence, the Sky might resolve to survey the commerce market forward of subsequent month’s deadline to accumulate youthful expertise or just a playmaker to shoulder the purpose guard tasks.
