After a dismal 2019 campaign, the Atlanta Dream entered the 2020 season with some optimism, focused chiefly on their young core and hopefulness that No. 4 overall pick Chennedy Carter could inject some life into an offense that struggled mightily without Angel McCoughtry.
Starting her WNBA career off in the first weeks of the Wubble, Carter looked the part, averaging 22.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.7 steals per game, bringing a swagger and confidence to the Atlanta offense that had been missing. Carter’s productivity has thrust her to the top of the Rookie of the Year race in the WNBA with top pick Sabrina Ionescu is out at least a month with an ankle injury, but unfortunately for Carter and the Dream, she too will now miss time with an ankle injury of her own.
Carter had to leave the Dream’s 92-83 loss to the Sun after just three minutes on Monday after hurting her ankle and Tuesday the Dream announced she will miss at least two weeks of play.
Atlanta Dream guard Chennedy Carter left last night’s game against the Connecticut Sun with an ankle injury. She has undergone numerous tests since then, and the timetable for her return is listed as approximately two weeks. Updates will be shared as necessary.
— Atlanta Dream PR (@ATLDreamPR) August 11, 2020
Injuries have been an unfortunate storyline of the Wubble, as some top players have been knocked out of action with various ailments, and for Carter and Ionescu it’s especially tough to have to miss time in what is already a shortened rookie season. Time to develop on the floor and gain experience at the pro level as a lead guard is critical, and both will lose out on that. Carter was sensational for the Dream and as a team they will have a tough time replacing her productivity and energy.
Hopefully moving forward she can make her return on the shorter end of the timeline and continue growing into her role as a leader on the court for Atlanta.