St. Louisan Brittany Carter joins Athletes Unlimited in Las Vegas Debut

Chesterfield, Missouri’s Brittany Carter the standout basketball player who has been playing internationally and also for the St. Louis Surge is on a new and exciting adventure– and it starts Wednesday. She is part of the debut year of Athletes Unlimited and is in Las Vegas ready to start the season and kick off the new league which will feature televised games.

“This definitely ranks at the top of cool things I have done,” she told STLSportsPage.com. “I am a part of history. I am on the roster of the first ever Athletes Unlimited for basketball. I am with some of the best athletes in the country and I’m honored to be a part of something so amazing.”

Carter might have missed this opportunity as she was playing professionally in Germany just two weeks ago. She is friends with Natasha Cloud of the Washington Mystics of the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association). Cloud’s trainer James Clark presented her with the offer while she was playing in professionally in Germany.

“Natasha Cloud is the face of the league and made sure to push my name forward,” said Carter.

She did that and coincidentally they will both be on the same team for the first game. The next few days were a whirlwind.

“I was given the information on Tuesday, January 11th, signed a contract on Wednesday, and flew out of Germany on Thursday. I had a quick turn around with needing to fly to Vegas on Sunday.”

Her entire career seems like a whirlwind as she’s played many places but always with a winning spirit and having been to many playoffs and championships along the way.

St. Louis girls and women’s basketball fans have long known about Carter. She started as a standout at Incarnate Word High School in St. Louis where she led the Red Knights to consecutive Missouri state championships in 2010 and 2011 and received MVP honors on the Show-Me State Super Seven team.

She was also named to the All-Tournament team at the state championships. As a junior, she received All-Conference honors as the team went 30-1 on the way to the state title. Incarnate Word finished with a record of 27-4 during her senior season.

She got scholarships and played collegiate basketball at Ball State University and then the University of Illinois. At Ball State, she had back-to-back double digit scoring games to help Ball State beat Minnesota (March 22) and Northern Iowa (March 24) to advance to the final 16 of the WNIT.

After graduating from Ball State with a Business Administration degree in three years, she transferred to the University of Illinois to obtain her Master’s Degree in Sports Administration. Carter was ranked 33rd nationally & third in the Big Ten for her 2.58 steals per game with the Fighting Illini.

After college she started playing professionally in Europe for teams including the Southern Peninsula Sharks in Australia, Kouvottaret in Finland, and most recently for Kelterm in Germany.

Carter is happy to be back on American soil– or hardwoods– and being reunited with friends including former teammates.

Surge fans will be happy to know Rebecca Harris is also on the team.

“I am very good friends with Rebecca Harris,” said Carter. “We have played on the Surge together for three seasons. There are also about 10 other athletes I have played against throughout the years; whether overseas or in college.”

Knowing so many people and having been an elite athlete for so many years, Carter is excited for the adventure ahead.

Athletes Unlimited is a five-week season with 15 games. There are 44 athletes selected to be a part of four teams that will compete against each other. They play three times a week on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Less than two miles from the Las Vegas Strip, Athletes Unlimited Arena at the Sport Center of Las Vegas will be the home of the inaugural basketball season. The venue will be transformed for the duration of the season (January 26 to February 26) to best showcase the new, innovative brand of professional basketball for fans in attendance, as well as the global broadcast audience.

The concept is unique as there are no set teams. Fans are there to see high caliber basketball and root on specific athletes but each week the top four performers are the captains for next week and get to draft their 11 person team on Sunday for the next week’s three games.

The top four performers are determined by an algorithm that puts into play individual statistics as well as team wins. The league is doing it up right for the players.

“Athletes Unlimited puts us up in an extended stay hotel and gives us the essentials to stay for six weeks,” she said. “We are provided shared rental cars so we can get around and occasional meals throughout the week.”

With all of her international play and being on the St. Louis Surge, Brittany Carter has gotten so popular that fans are contacting her on Cameo.

Her bio says, “Professional Women’s Basketball Player with Athletes Unlimited in Las Vegas. Send me all your requests from gender reveals, get well soon’s, or just a smiling face coming your way to cheer you up.” To find out more about Carter on Cameo CLICK HERE.

There is another way fans can show their support for Carter: download a free app.

“Fans can support me by downloading the ‘Athletes Unlimited’ app (on Google Play) and using my code “BRITT944”.

Carter is dedicating a portion of her efforts to charity.

“As the season starts on Wednesday I would like you all to see the cause I am playing for these next five weeks,” she wrote on her Facebook page. “Cheer me on all season long as I play for One Love to support its mission to stop relationship abuse by educating youth about healthy and unhealthy relationship behaviors.> To find out more CLICK HERE or text BCARTER TO 44321″

The games will take place at Athletes Unlimited Arena at Sport Center of Las Vegas, Las Vegas and they can be watched live on CBS Sports Network

As mentioned earlier four captains are chosen for each game and they pick their team for that game. The first game is at 7 p. m. and Carter plays in the second of the two games which can be viewed on the CBS Sports Network Wednesday night at 10 p.m.