Carson started playing organized sports at the age of 11 and attended Rosa L. Parks School of Fine and Performing Arts while competing athletically at Eastside High School in Paterson, where she was an all-state volleyball player and state champion in the 400 meters.

[4] During her college career, Carson played shooting guard and small forward for coach Vivian Stringer as the team entered the NCAA Tournament in each of her first three seasons.

Rutgers had finished second place during Carson's junior season and advanced all the way to the NCAA Championship Game after a 54–53 win over top-seeded Duke.

In the 2011 season, Carson was voted a WNBA All-Star for the first time in her career despite being a reserve on the Liberty's roster, she had averaged 11.3 points per game.

After recovering from the injury, Carson had a smaller role on the team as her minutes were reduced and was downgraded back to a reserve on the Liberty's roster for the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

On March 31, 2016, Carson signed with the Los Angeles Sparks in free agency to fill a gap in their roster left by an injured Riquna Williams who would miss the entire 2016 season.

Carson along with Candace Parker, Nneka Ogwumike and Kristi Toliver helped the Sparks to a 26–8 record and the number 2 seed in the league.

Carson would eventually win her first WNBA Championship with the Sparks as they defeated the Minnesota Lynx 3–2 in the finals.

In the second-round elimination, the Sun pulled off an upset by defeating the 3rd seeded Los Angeles Sparks by a final score of 73–59, advancing to the semi-finals.

In the semi-finals, the Sun fell short after losing to Las Vegas Aces in a hard-fought five-game series.

[19] As of November 2016, Carson had signed with Yakin Dogu for the 2016-17 off-season and won a championship with the team.

[20] Carson was a member of the USA Women's U18 team which won the gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championship in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.

The event was held in August 2004, when the USA team defeated Puerto Rico to win the championship.

In 2007, in Moscow, Russia she competed with the USA once again for the FIBA Under-21 World Championship For Women where she was once again a starter and won a gold medal.

Carson also noted that her musical influences are Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Jay-Z, MC Lyte, Missy Elliott and J.

[27] Carson has a younger brother named Shaquille Thomas, who played basketball for the University of Cincinnati Bearcats.