"It felt like a death": Chicago Sky reporter details harrowing aftermath of Courtney Vandersloot's injury

On Saturday, the Chicago Sky suffered a massive blow when veteran guard Courtney Vandersloot went down with an apparent knee injury in the first quarter of their home game against the Indiana Fever. A day later, the team announced that Vandersloot had torn her right ACL, which would cause her to miss the rest of the season.

Sky beat writer Karli Bell was a firsthand witness to the emotional impact of Vandersloot's injury on the team. After Chicago lost 79-52 to the Fever, Bell felt the gloom taking over the individuals working in the Sky organization.

"After the game, in that press room, you felt the somberness," she said on Monday' episode of the "Courtside With Karli Bell" podcast. "You felt the sadness. You felt the heartache...It felt like a death, honestly."

The injury occurred around the 5:29 of the opening quarter, when Vandersloot drove to the rim for a layup attempt. As she planted her right foot, her knee buckled, causing her to yell in agony and land on the ground in a crumpled heap.

Vandersloot would then exit the game, finishing with two points in under six minutes of action.

Statistically, "The General" leaves a sizable void for the Sky to fill. Vandersloot leads the team in assists (5.3 dimes per outing), and she also happens to be Chicago's third best scorer (10.6 points per game).

Beyond these numbers, the 15-year veteran brings leadership and championship pedigree to a team that failed to make the postseason last year. While it's too early to sound the death knell for the Sky's playoff aspirations, the team will have to pick themselves up after Vandersloot's season-ending injury.

Analyst underscores Courtney Vandersloot's importance to Chicago Sky: "They rely on her for one thing or the other"

On Monday's episode of "Courtside With Karli Bell," local TV analyst Shimmy Miller emphasized the importance of Vandersloot to the Sky on and off the court.

"How many of these players have said that they rely on Sloot for one thing or the other?" Miller said. "Kamilla [Cardoso] said, Sloot gives her confidence...Angel [Reese] says, I watch the way she shows up early every day and gets extra work, extra stretching."

The anecdotes shared by Miller prove that Vandersloot's impact on the team goes beyond the stat sheet. Now, it will be up to players like Cardoso and Reese to live up to the example that the two-time WNBA champion has set.