Forward Jantel Lavender was sporting a new accessory Sunday, which is a cause for concern for the Sky going forward.
Lavender was wearing a walking boot on her foot that she injured halfway through the third quarter of Friday’s win against the Aces in Las Vegas.
Coach James Wade told the Sun-Times in a phone interview after the Sky’s 84-81 loss to the Sparks in Los Angeles on Sunday that Lavender underwent tests, but he wasn’t going to announce specifics on her until after she was seen by the team’s doctor in Chicago. He didn’t have a timeline for Lavender.
Losing Lavender for the foreseeable future at this point in the season is a big hit for the Sky (14-10), who are fifth in the playoff standings and 31⁄2 games behind the league-leading Mystics.
Lavender has been key to the Sky’s success this season and in helping change the team’s culture.
“It’s tough losing anyone on this team ... but specifically her,” said guard Allie Quigley, who scored 20 points Sunday. “She’s been playing really well lately and shooting the ball like no other posts in the league. But we just have to find a way and other players will step up.”
Acquired during a preseason trade, Lavender, who was an All-Star in 2015 and named 2016 Sixth Woman of the Year, has returned to form this season after she trended downward with the Sparks over the last three seasons. She’s helped shore up the glass for the Sky, averaging 6.9 rebounds, which is her best mark since 2015. She’s also averaging 10 points on 49% shooting, the second-best field-goal percentage on the Sky.
Lavender, a WNBA champion, also filled a leadership void the Sky were missing.
Most Sky players knew how to win at the collegiate and international levels, but no one on the roster had won a WNBA title before Lavender arrived. Lavender pulls the team together and her peers listen to her.
“When Jantel Lavender came here, she started creating and molding a championship atmosphere and culture,” said Kahleah Copper, who scored eight points against the Sparks. “She’s really taken a role with us and just showing us how to do it because she’s done it.”
In the meantime, Wade is looking at all 11 players on his roster to step up in Lavender’s absence. He put forward Astou Ndour in her spot in the starting five against the Sparks. Ndour played one of her best games of the season, recording seven points and four blocked shots.
Asked if he would see Ndour to step up in Lavender’s absence, Wade said: “I don’t know what you mean.”
”We’re going to play how we’re going to play, like, I don’t know what that means. ... We’re going to depend on all 12 or 11 players that we have like we did today.”
NOTE: Lavender wasn’t the only player absent from the Sky’s starting five against the Sparks. Point guard Courtney Vandersloot missed Sunday’s game due to illness, which resulted in Gabby Williams earning her second start this season. She scored six points and dished out six assists.
