“If Chicago wants me back, I’m interested in coming back,” Chennedy Carter was clear on where she stands. Set to become a restricted free agent this offseason, the 25-year-old has so far not confirmed to play in ‘the Windy City’ next year. She will also not be playing in Unrivaled but her WNBA plans are not confirmed either. Amid this uncertainty, the Golden State Valkyries might swoop down to pick Carter for play in 2025.

The W’s first expansion team in 16 years, the Valkyries’ draft is set for Dec. 6 and will air on ESPN. The current 12 teams have been instructed to submit a list of their 12 players, whether they’re players on the team’s active, suspended, draft list/reserved core, or retired lists. Each team can protect 6 players, while the rest half of their rotation will be exposed for Golden State to choose from. And the latest reports reveal the Chicago Sky could choose not to protect Chennedy Carter.

Spotrac made a list of possible players who could be left unprotected based on their contracts, also including Diamond DeShields, Lindsay Allen, Kamilla Cardoso, Angel Reese, and Kaela Davis. Chennedy Carter has gone through a rollercoaster ride in the WNBA, playing for the Atlanta Dream (incidentally another expansion team), Los Angeles Sparks, until she found a home in Teresa Weatherspoon and the Chicago Sky. She debuted in 2020 but it took her four years to be in the starting five again. Who knows how she might fare if she goes to San Francisco?

“My main goal is always just to be somewhere I’m wanted. I love being here. I enjoyed the season. It was fun. It was special. If Chicago wants me back, I’m interested in coming back,” she had said in September. For the Valkyries’ draft, teams are expected to submit the list roughly 10 days before the draft will take place, and some are afraid Carter will be on it.

Interestingly, her absence from the USA’s national team has piqued the interest of Team Brazil. While Carter denied playing in Unrivaled, her WNBA offseason plans are not confirmed. The only sure thing is she will continue playing basketball. But if she does end up staying in Chicago, it might get difficult without Weatherspoon.

More than Angel Reese, Teresa Weatherspoon’s firing could affect Chennedy Carter

When the Chicago Sky announced the firing of head coach Teresa Weatherspoon after a single season, Angel Reese wrote on X about how she was “heartbroken.” Chennedy Carter took a less direct approach and posted Tupac’s “Dear Mama” on her Instagram story. Carter added a screenshot of these lyrics from Spotify, “you are appreciated. Lady, don’t ya know we love ya?,” with a spoon emoji at the top.

This gesture also reminds us of the time when both Weatherspoon and Carter hugged each other in an early season postgame presser after the Hall of Famer head coach had just praised the Texas A&M alum for her ability to learn and train hard. After a troublesome time in the W, Weatherspoon was the one who welcomed Carter to the ‘Windy City’ with open arms. In the conversations for the Most Improved Player, Carter averaged 17.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.1 steals per game, shooting 48.7% from the field.

While Weatherspoon was also Reese’s first coach in the league, her effect on Carter is also undeniable. But now that she’s gone will the Sky guard even consider staying in Chicago? It could be worth exploring what the Golden State has to offer, but then again, none of it would be in Chennedy Carter’s hands alone.