Next season is no concern to oft-injured Faulkner
Guard Jamierra Faulkner can’t catch a break. At 27, she’s suffered more injuries than most have in their entire career.
Still, Faulkner has remained positive.
“I’m just taking it a day at a time,” Faulkner said Sunday before the Sky’s 100-85 loss to the Aces at Wintrust Arena. “It’s not anything that I can’t handle. Everybody goes through stuff and some people go through stuff more than others.”
Faulkner’s future with the Sky relies heavily on her performance in 2019. However, she’s spent the majority of this season on the bench.
She is in the last year of her contract and missed the first half of this season recovering from her second anterior cruciate ligament injury in the last three years. Earlier this month, she suffered a concussion that forced her to miss two games.
In total, Faulkner has seen action in seven games and has averaged a career-low 6.7 minutes.
Other than injuries, Faulkner hasn’t seen much court time because she’s been replaced.
In 2018, Faulkner served as the main backup to point guard Courtney Vandersloot. But this season, guard/forward Gabby Williams has assumed that role.
With Williams and rookie point guard Chloe Jackson signed to contracts through 2022 and 2023, respectively, Faulkner might be the odd one out at the end of this season.
But Faulkner said she isn’t putting any pressure on herself.
“I don’t think about it, honestly,” she said. “I know I’m on Chicago’s team right now, so I’m playing as hard as I can for Chicago . . . and worry about everything else afterwards.”
Lou’s mark
Forward Katie Lou Samuelson has said all season when her time comes, she would be ready. And she was right.
With forward Jantel Lavender out with what is likely a seasonending foot injury, Samuelson has earned more playing time and has been impressive over the last week. The fourth overall pick shined Sunday when she scored a career-high 10 points, going 2-for-4 from three-point range.
Ndour’s turn
Samuelson hasn’t been the only player who has stepped up in a major way.
Forward Astou Ndour, who has started in place of Lavender, has continued to show more confidence every time she steps on the court. In Friday’s game against the Sparks, Ndour scored a seasonhigh 11 points and nine rebounds, and she recorded a career-high 10 rebounds Sunday.
“I’m not going to take the role Jantel was doing,” Ndour said Friday. “She’s important and she was helping the team a lot. I’m going to be myself and just help the team.”