Why was Chennedy Carter suspended by Atlanta Dream? Looking at Chicago Sky guard's disciplinary history

Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter's hard foul on Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark on Saturday has sparked several reactions. On Sunday, the WNBA upgraded the foul from a common foul to a flagrant-1 violation.

Meanwhile, conversations about Carter’s intent on the play put her under the microscope for a past incident. Carter has not been suspended or fined by the WNBA and it seems that the matter may be over.

Carter’s play on Clark shone a light on her previous suspension by the Atlanta Dream during the 2021 season. Then, teammate Courtney Williams suggested Carter get more engaged in supporting her teammates from the bench. Carter and Williams argued about it, which further escalated the tension.

Atlanta did not play Carter for the rest of the game and announced the suspension afterward. Carter approached Williams, making her point about a lack of playing time impacting her mood. Williams did not want to hear that excuse and the two almost got into a fight.

Former Dream interim head coach Mike Peterson said the following about Carter’s suspension at the time:

“She’s working through stuff with ownership to try to get a process where she can return."

Chennedy Carter never returned to the court for Atlanta, last playing on July 4 and finishing with just 11 games that season. The Los Angeles Sparks gave Carter a fresh chance in 2022, and she’s found a new home with the Chicago Sky this season.

Chennedy Carter hard foul on Caitlin Clark puts her in spotlight

The star power of Caitlin Clark and the stories associated with her name will create attention for those involved for better or worse. Chennedy Carter appeared to send a message that Clark would not have an easy time with her defense, but the play reaching the flagrant-1 level shows it backfired.

Clark brushed off the foul after the game, expressing that she didn’t expect that hard of a hit, but she expects more physical plays like that.

The boost in attention for the WNBA thanks to Clark means Indiana Fever games will have extra scrutiny.