Jan. 26—Being on television isn’t new to Courtney Vandersloot.
WNBA games involving the former Gonzaga basketball standout have been featured multiple times in her 14-year professional career.
A television first for Vandersloot occurred last week when she made her acting debut — albeit brief. She made an appearance on NBC’s “Chicago Med,” part of the network’s Chicago One three-show lineup on Wednesday evenings.
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Vandersloot visited fictional Chicago Gaffney Medical Center to surprise a college basketball player from nearby fictional Cole University facing knee surgery. Vandersloot is recovering from knee surgery to repair an anterior cruciate ligament tear suffered during a WNBA game last summer.
A doctor on the show arranged the surprise visit.
Here’s how the 39-second scene transpired. (If you’re reading this story online, a clip of the scene is attached):
“There goes the season. And probably the rest of my basketball career,” Kristen Thompson said.
Dr. Frost: “Look, this is not gonna be easy. That’s not what I’m saying, all right? But a lot of players return to the court after ACL surgery.”
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Thompson: “Yeah, maybe.”
Frost: “Look, I know this is a huge blow, so I got you a little something to hopefully cheer you up a little bit.”
The doctor hands her an action photo of Vandersloot in her Chicago jersey.
Thompson smiles. “Oh, this is so cool. Sloot’s, like, my idol.”
Frost: “Hey, I’ll be right back, OK?”
He leaves the room and promptly brings in the surprise — Vandersloot.
Frost: “Kristen, I would like you to meet …”
Thompson: “Sloot!”
Vandersloot: “Hey Kristen.”
Dr. Asher to Frost: “You know Courtney Vandersloot?”
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Frost: “I know a guy who knows a guy who knows Courtney Vandersloot.”
Vandersloot: “I’m so sorry to hear about your knee. I tore my ACL this past summer in a game against the Indiana Fever.”
Thompson: “Yeah, I watched it happen right as you were going in for a layup.”
Vandersloot: “Yeah it was a huge bummer to have to miss the rest of the season, but I’m working really hard postsurgery, and I’m going to be back on the court next season stronger than ever.”
Thompson: “That’s awesome.”
Vandersloot: “And you will too. And when you’re ready we’ll get you down to Wintrust (Arena, where the Sky play) and you and I will get some shots up.”
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Thompson: “I’d love that.”
Then Vandersloot pulls out a jersey she was hiding inside her jacket.
Vandersloot: “This is for you, by the way.”
Thompson: “Wow. Thank you so much.”
The scene ends with Thompson and Vandersloot hugging.
The show, in its 11th season, lists the names of the actors and special guests in the first three minutes of each episode. Sure enough there was Vandersloot’s name at the bottom of the screen.
Interestingly, Vandersloot had knee surgery June 24 at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago where Chicago Med films its episodes.
Yahoo sports described Vandersloot’s appearance as a solid performance.
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Vandersloot, who turns 37 early next month, has been a fixture in the WNBA since entering the league as a No. 3 draft pick in 2011.
One of the WNBA’s most talented playmakers during her career, Vandersloot was interviewed by a Chicago reporter about her recovery from surgery in September. She tried to quell rumors that her career might be over.
“Contrary to what people say or think, my age is actually not a factor. I am coming back,” Vandersloot said. “I am going to come back better than ever because that’s what I’ve done. I’ve put myself in a position to come back and compete, even at this age.”
Vandersloot married former Chicago teammate Allie Quigley in 2018. They live in Chicago and welcomed their first child, a girl, born in May.
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A two-time WNBA champion with Chicago in 2011 and New York Liberty in 2024, Vandersloot was in Spokane three years ago when Gonzaga held a retirement ceremony for her jersey. It’s the first women’s jersey hanging in McCarthey Athletic Center.
During her four seasons at Gonzaga, she was a three-time West Coast Conference Player of the Year and the first NCAA Division I player of either gender with 2,000 points and 1,000 assists in her career.
She capped off her time at Gonzaga by leading the Zags to the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight, WCC regular-season and tournament titles and a 31-5 record during the 2010-11 season.
Vandersloot won’t earn any honors for her brief acting role. But she was, at the least, on all-conference level in terms of encouragement and sincerity. And maybe others who are dealing with knee issues who watched the show were inspired.
