Angel Reese’s arrival in the Atlanta Dream has done wonders, but they have yet to face their strongest challenge yet. In their first two games of the season, the Dream has showcased personality, clinching tightrope wins over Minnesota and Dallas. But the next team they face is the defending champions- Las Vegas Aces, and just days before, a WNBA reporter has sounded the alarm on the Dream regarding Reese’s ex-teammate, Chennedy Carter.

“Another player that I have to mention when it comes to the Aces is Chennedy Carter,” Alicia Jay said on the We Need To Talk podcast. “Carter’s story is absolutely amazing. Last year, she was not even in the WNBA. She’s watching these games, knowing that she should be on this court. And they added her to the Aces team, and she has been nothing short of amazing.”

“She had a game-high 27 points on 13-16 shooting, plus 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals, and this is 21 minutes. She’s showing why she should have been there all along. It’s definitely something I’m looking forward to in this game,” she added further.

Chennedy Carter’s return to the WNBA is a story in itself. It’s no newsflash that she has faced fallouts with franchises in her tenure. From her tussle with Courtney Williams during her time at the Atlanta Dream to locker room fallouts in the Chicago Sky, she has been part of several such incidents.

When Carter wasn’t retained by the Chicago Sky, where she also played with Reese, the former couldn’t find a team. She spent her entire season overseas, playing in China and Mexico. And just before the 2026 regular season tipoff, she was eventually picked by the Las Vegas Aces on a training camp contract. It turned out to be one of the best decisions they made.

Carter showcased her skill set immediately in the preseason games and continued this momentum in the regular season. She has recorded double figures in points in every game she has played, despite limited minutes off the bench. She also dropped an impressive 22 against the LA Sparks. And then in the first Connecticut Sun game of the season, Carter recorded her best performance so far, recording 27 points and 8 assists off the bench. These performances have added an entirely new dynamic to the Las Vegas offense.

Especially in the first Sun game, several Aces players struggled with foul trouble. In fact, the team’s best player, A’ja Wilson, was limited to just 21 minutes. But none of it mattered when Carter came off the bench. The production didn’t drop. And so did the dominance on the boards.

“For me, it was like, I can help them. They can help me. This can be a dynasty,” Carter had said. “So I wanted to be a part of it. I wanted to be a part of a winning organization.”

Given this sort of momentum for Carter, the Atlanta Dream defense, including Angel Reese, will have to be on their knees to stop her. They have strong perimeter players like Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray. But in a one-on-one situation, Carter will be quite hard to stop, courtesy of her speed.

With the leading contender for the Sixth Player of the Year award, it’ll be tough to convert this into a win for the Dream. Chennedy Carter might be looking to do some damage to Atlanta, especially after having parted with the team on a bad note. 

A’ja Wilson Expresses Optimism From Chennedy Carter’s Stint at Las Vegas Aces

Most would identify Chennedy Carter as a volume scorer. But she isn’t just restricted to that. If you look at her stats, you’d see she is a decent rebounder and playmaker as well at times. Furthermore, she also leads her team in steals (2.0 per game).

With all these qualities, Carter could have easily been a starter on any other team. But the way she has used these limited minutes is quite inspiring. And Wilson is all thumbs up to see Carter grow further in her team.

“You have a three-level scorer coming off the bench that can get you 30 and 10 and five, not a lot of teams have that,” Wilson said. “We don’t ask too much from her, just to do her job and be in our system shows the professional she truly is. It’s been a joy to watch her grow and flourish.”

Of course, before Chennedy Carter comes in, the Atlanta Dream will have to tackle A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, and Jackie Young. To make things tougher for them, Wilson is coming off a historic 45-point night against the Sun on Friday. Thus, with such sheer momentum, Wilson will be a bit difficult to restrict on the night.

When Carter comes off the bench, she might also focus a bit more on the game, given it’s against one of her former teams. The tipoff is on May 17 at the State Farm Arena. For now, the Dream are unexpectedly going in as favorites, with over 56.4% chance, per ESPN.

But don’t get surprised if the Las Vegas Aces suddenly flip the conversation on the night with their sheer depth and quality players off the bench, like Carter. With the game set to start in a few hours, what are your expectations for Carter in this game? Do let us know in the comments.