In an unsettling incident Wednesday, the Chicago Sky faced harassment at their team hotel in Washington, D.C., ahead of their Thursday game against the Washington Mystics. Upon their arrival, a man with a camera approached the team, specifically targeting Chennedy Carter. The confrontation follows Carter's recent flagrant foul against Indiana Fever rookie guard Caitlin Clark, which sparked widespread discussions.
Jeff Pagliocca, Sky's general manager, confirmed to ESPN that the man attempted to approach Carter, but team security successfully de-escalated the situation without police involvement. A video of the encounter was posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, but was later removed. Michaela Onyenwere, a forward for the Sky, pointed out in a post on X that the video had been edited and did not include the man's racist and misogynistic remarks directed at the players.
Other Sky players took to X to express their outrage. Isabelle Harrison tweeted, “WOW!!! Thank GOD for security. My teammate being harassed at our hotel is insane! Couldn't even step off the bus!!!”
“Finding out our team's hotel to pull with a camera as we get off the bus and put it in my teammate's face & HARASS her is NASTY WORK. This really is outta control and needs to STOP,” Angel Reese added, per Alexa Philippou of ESPN.
“We have security, and they did a great job of de-escalating the situation/protecting us. It's still extremely weird & crosses the boundaries meeting us right when we get off the bus, Onyenwere said.
Brianna Turner, another forward, said, “I wasn't present for the interaction from earlier, but what occurred isn't acceptable. Didn't realize that when we said ‘grow the game' that would be interpreted as harassing players at hotels … Yes we (thankfully) travel with security, but the absurd headlines recently have certainly created an unstable environment for our safety.”
Chicago Sky remain focused on game vs. Mystics
The incident highlights the importance of player security, especially in the wake of growing public interest and scrutiny. Despite the harassment, the Sky remain focused on their season, preparing for their first matchup against the Mystics. The game will be held at the Entertainment & Sports Arena.
The Mystics, struggling with a 0-9 record, will look to secure their first win of the season. Washington's team is led by Ariel Atkins, who averages 13.2 points and 1.9 steals per game. She will be a key player in their attempt to overcome the Sky's formidable guard duo of Marina Mabrey and Dana Evans. Mabrey leads Chicago with 16.8 points and 4.8 assists per game, while Evans is recording 11.4 points and 1.6 steals per game, maintaining a perfect free-throw percentage.
A notable rookie matchup to watch will be between Reese and Aaliyah Edwards. Drafted No. 6 overall, Edwards averages 7.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Reese, who was picked just one spot later, leads all rookies with nine rebounds per game and scores an average of 10.9 points.
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