Typically steering clear of celebrity appearances, “Chicago Med” opts for seasoned actors in minor roles rather than featuring stars as themselves. However, “Frost on Fire” breaks away from this trend, featuring WNBA’s own Courtney Vandersloot in a memorable cameo.

Vandersloot, a standout point guard, makes a special appearance to lift the spirits of Kristen Thompson, portrayed by Tatum Jones. Kristen, a college basketball player, is receiving treatment from John Frost (Darren Barnet) and the controversial Dean Archer (Steven Weber) for an ACL injury and an apparent drug overdose. Kristen insists she isn’t addicted, having only used antidepressants, which she discontinued due to ineffectiveness. In an interwoven “One Chicago” moment, paramedic Lyla Novak (Jocelyn Hudon), who transported Kristen, mentions administering a small dose of fentanyl. This prompts Frost to question whether Novak inadvertently overdosed Kristen. Further investigation reveals Kristen is a rapid metabolizer, processing drugs faster than usual, which accounts for her overdose and her issues with antidepressants.

Despite her overdose, Kristen must still address her knee injury, which necessitates surgery. In a bid to help, Frost—whose own past as a child star harbors hidden stories—leverages his connections. Shortly after, Vandersloot arrives at the hospital, bearing a jersey, and Kristen is thrilled to converse with her idol. This uplifting encounter provides a much-needed morale boost, akin to Vandersloot’s usual on-court heroics.

For Vandersloot, “Frost on Fire” marked her acting debut, and she delivered an impressive performance. Her storyline cleverly incorporates her real-life ACL injury, which she sustained on June 7, 2025, sidelining her for much of the season. Following surgery on June 24, 2025, she appears to be on the mend, confidently walking through the halls of Chicago Gaffney Medical Center.

This was Courtney Vandersloot’s first time acting, and she manages to acquit herself well as a performer. To add a dash of realism to her storyline, the show wrote her real-life ACL tear into the plot. Vandersloot’s injury occurred on June 7, 2025 and kept her out of league play for the majority of the season. She had surgery to repair the tear on June 24, 2025. Judging from her brief time at Chicago Gaffney Medical Center, it seems clear that she’s healing up well, entering the scene on her own two feet.

During her nearly 15-year career,  Vandersloot has developed quite the name for herself as a player. She was drafted third by the Chicago Sky in 2011. During her rookie year, she put in an average of 3.7 assists per game, which made her 11th in the league. She’s had a solid on-court record ever since, helping lead the Sky to the WNBA Championship in 2021. Then, after a period of free agency, she joined the New York Liberty for two seasons, helping them score a league win in 2024. Currently back with the Sky, Vandersloot is still stuck on injured reserve as of this writing, but hopefully she’ll be back in action soon.