WASHINGTON — The Sky endured an alarming encounter in the U.S. capital when they were confronted by a man while getting off their bus at the team's hotel.
The man — who was not a guest at the hotel — targeted guard Chennedy Carter specifically. When the team bus arrived, the man approached Carter and her teammates with a camera.
The Sky travel with multiple bodyguards who accompany players everywhere they go, part of the team's increased security measures taken this year. General manager Jeff Pagliocca told the Sun-Times that the situation was immediately de-escalated and that police weren't called to the hotel.
Sky security escorted the man away, and hotel staff was made aware of the situation.
"It was over as fast as it started," Pagliocca said. "I'm very confident in our security always making our players feel safe. Today was a great example of how critical they are to our team."
According to Pagliocca, the man was trying to talk with Carter as team staff unloaded bags. Pagliocca could not hear the exchange. Multiple Sky players shared their accounts of the situation on X.
"Finding out our team's hotel to pull up with a camera as we get off the bus and put it in my teammate's face and harass her is nasty work," rookie Angel Reese wrote.
finding out our teams hotel to pull with a camera as we get off the bus and put it in my teammates face & HARASS her is NASTY WORK. this really is outta control and needs to STOP.
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) June 5, 2024
"Getting harassed at our hotel is where the line needs to be drawn," forward Michaela Onyenwere shared. "Some 'fans' have no chill."
"Thank god for security," Sky forward Isabelle Harrison posted. "My teammate being harassed at our hotel is insane. Couldn't even step off the bus."
It's unclear how the man located the Sky's hotel.
Sky forward Brianna Turner was not present when the man approached Carter, but shared a detailed thread about it on X.
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. You are free to have your own opinion but consider if this happened to someone u know.
— Brianna Turner (@_Breezy_Briii) June 6, 2024
"Yes, we thankfully travel with security," Turner said. "But the absurd headlines recently have certainly created an unstable environment for our safety. I’ve been called every racial slur imaginable lately, and my teammates have had it even worse.
"I will not accept racism as 'part of the game.' No, I’m not sensitive, and no, I won’t simply ignore the ignorant takes I’ve seen. The majority of you commenting could care less about the success of the WNBA and are only concerned with division."
Thursday following shootaround, Reese said the Sky have not experienced anything similar to Wednesday's encounter before. Reese experienced TMZ reporters approaching her on the street before, but she still acknowledged this was different.
"Being harassed about other players is kind of crazy," Reese said. "Maybe if it's personal questions about you, maybe cool. But if you're harassing us about other players, I mean, that's kind of out of pocket."
A video circulated on X Thursday morning in which a man can be heard asking Carter repeatedly about Fever guard Caitlin Clark.
The man asks Carter twice if she's had a chance to reach out to Clark before Sky security blocks his camera. Reese said Thursday that only part of the man's video was posted online.
This encounter comes following nearly a week of vitriolic discourse over Carter's Flagrant 1 foul on Clark in the Sky's loss to the Fever last Saturday. Carter was initially assessed with an off-the-ball common foul. The league upgraded it to a flagrant the following day.
Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon said the team felt fully protected by security and that they're focused on basketball.
