Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington was ejected from her team’s WNBA defeat against the Indiana Fever following a flagrant foul on Sophie Cunningham. Carrington, who had missed the first 27 games of the current season due to injury, was dismissed after scoring eight points in just four minutes of play.
The incident occurred late in the opening quarter when Carrington struck Cunningham across the left side of the head while the Fever guard was attempting a layup. Cunningham hit the floor but quickly rose to confront Carrington before teammates intervened to separate the two players.
Following a video review, the foul was upgraded to a flagrant two, resulting in an automatic ejection. Shortly after exiting the game, Carrington posted “WHITE PRIVILIGE” on the social media platform Threads, specifically tagging the Indiana Fever in the message.
Addressing the post after the Fever’s 90-86 victory, Cunningham stated that the league would handle the situation. She dismissed the racial implication of the comment, noting that she had been ejected for similar contact in the past and accepted the consequences of such plays. “There’s no reason even to play that card,” Cunningham added.
Cunningham further remarked on the nature of the foul, describing it as unnecessary. While noting she has no personal history with Carrington, she suggested the Sky player may have been harboring frustration. “I’ve never really spoken to her and have no beef with her, but I guess she has some pent-up stuff. That’s fine – I can take it,” she said.
Sky coach Tyler Marsh indicated he was unaware of the social media post until after the game, stating he would need to address the matter internally. Meanwhile, Fever head coach Stephanie White defended the officiating, calling it a “hard foul” and agreeing with the decision to eject Carrington, though she noted she did not believe the contact to the neck was intentional.
Referee Maj Forsberg explained that Cunningham was not penalized for her immediate reaction to the hit because officials deemed her response proportional to the severity of the contact. Cunningham has recently been the focus of public attention due to her vocal stance on transgender athletes in women’s sports, which has drawn both protestors and supporters to Fever games.
In other developments from the match, Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark avoided a potential one-game suspension. A technical foul assessed to her in the third quarter—issued after she collided with an official while moving to pass—was rescinded post-match. Had the foul stood, it would have been her eighth of the season, triggering an automatic suspension.
Asked about the post after her team won 90-86, Cunningham said: “I think the league is taking care of that.
