The WNBA offseason moves so fast you’ll get whiplash if you blink. One minute everyone is talking about the draft lottery, and the next, training camp rosters are filling up with names that make you do a double-take. That's exactly what happened when the Chicago Sky signed Jessika Carter to a training camp contract.
Honestly, if you weren’t paying close attention to the Mississippi State legend's journey since the 2024 draft, you might have missed the significance of this move. It wasn't just a random roster filler. It was a strategic, low-risk, high-reward gamble by a Sky front office that is clearly obsessed with one thing right now: size and interior defense.
Who is Jessika Carter anyway?
If you follow SEC basketball, you know exactly who she is. Jessika Carter was a force at Mississippi State. We're talking about a 6-foot-5 center who basically parked herself in the paint and told everyone else to stay out.
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She ended her college career as a three-time All-SEC selection. She wasn't just some tall kid standing around; she was the 2024 Gillom Trophy winner, which basically means she was the best female college player in the entire state of Mississippi. She left school with over 1,750 points and 1,120 rebounds. That’s elite company—joining only Teaira McCowan and LaToya Thomas in the MSU history books.
But the WNBA is a different beast.
Carter was drafted 23rd overall by the New York Liberty in 2024. Most people thought she'd stick. The Liberty have a stacked roster, sure, but a 6-5 frame with those stats? It seemed like a lock. Instead, she was waived before the season even really got moving. Then the Las Vegas Aces picked her up. Same story. She played two games for Becky Hammon, didn't record any stats, and was waived again.
Why the Chicago Sky took the gamble
So, why did Chicago come calling in April 2025? Basically, the Sky were under new management with Coach Tyler Marsh and GM Jeff Pagliocca, and they had a very specific vision. They wanted a "Defensive Superteam."
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Think about the roster at the time. You already had Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese. Adding Jessika Carter was an attempt to build a wall. If you're an opposing guard, looking into the paint and seeing Cardoso, Reese, and Carter is basically a nightmare scenario.
The contract was a standard training camp deal—roughly $66,079 if she made the team. For the Sky, it was a "no-lose" situation. If she regained her college form, they had the most terrifying frontcourt depth in the league. If she didn't, they could just move on.
The Polish Connection
One thing people kinda forget is that Carter didn't just sit around after the Aces waived her. She went to Poland. Playing for AZS Poznań, she was a monster. She averaged nearly 15 points and 9 rebounds a game.
That overseas performance is likely what caught the Sky's eye. It showed she was healthy and that her "motor"—which some scouts questioned—was running just fine. When she showed up to Sky camp, she actually put up some decent numbers in the preseason. In two games, she grabbed four rebounds and a block. It wasn't world-shattering, but it was solid.
The Harsh Reality of WNBA Rosters
Here is the part that sucks for players like Carter. On May 11, 2025, just days before the regular season tipped off against the Indiana Fever, the Sky waived her.
Why? Because the WNBA roster crunch is brutal. You only get 12 spots. When you already have Cardoso and Reese as your "cornerstones," and you're trying to balance the cap with veterans like Elizabeth Williams, a pure center like Carter becomes a luxury you can't always afford.
The fans were actually pretty vocal about this. A lot of people were frustrated because the Sky were also dealing with the Chennedy Carter situation (no relation, obviously). Fans were posting things like, "That's the wrong Carter," or complaining that the team was signing training camp bigs while losing their best scorer. It was a weird, tense time for the fanbase.
What we can learn from the Jessika Carter era in Chicago
Even though she didn't make the final cut, the Chicago Sky Jessika Carter signing tells us a lot about how the league is shifting.
- Size is back in style. The Sky aren't interested in playing "small ball." They want to bully people in the paint.
- Training camp is a gauntlet. Being a second-round pick with 1,700 college points doesn't guarantee you a jersey. The gap between "great college player" and "WNBA roster lock" is wider than most fans realize.
- Overseas tape matters. Carter got this shot because she went to Poland and proved she could still play.
Next Steps for the Sky and Carter
If you're following the Sky this season, keep an eye on how they use their remaining bigs. They are clearly leaning into a physical, defensive identity. As for Jessika Carter, she’s back in Poland with AZS Poznań after signing an extension there. Don't be surprised if she's back in a WNBA camp next year. A 6-foot-5 frame with her defensive instincts is too rare to stay off the radar for long.
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The best way to track her progress is to check the Polish OBLK stats. If she keeps averaging a double-double over there, another WNBA team—maybe one with less frontcourt depth than Chicago—will eventually give her a permanent home.