Incident and Ejection
Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington was ejected from Saturday's game against the Indiana Fever after a flagrant foul on Sophie Cunningham. With about two minutes left in the first quarter, Cunningham drove for a layup, and Carrington struck her in the face with her left arm, sending her to the floor. The foul was upgraded to a Flagrant 2 after review, and Carrington was ejected. As she left the court, she grinned and shook her head as Sky fans cheered.[S1][S2][S3][S6]
Cunningham quickly got up and confronted Carrington, pushing at her chest and yelling, and had to be restrained by teammates and security. The Fever guard converted the layup before the altercation. Carrington had eight points in the three minutes she played and helped fuel Chicago after it trailed 8-0.[S2][S6]
Social Media Reaction
Shortly after her ejection, Carrington posted "WHITE PRIVILEGE @indianafever" on Threads at 3:58 p.m., roughly eight minutes after the foul. She later posted "8/23" with a smiley face emoji on X, referencing the next meeting between the Sky and Fever. Carrington did not elaborate on the post, leaving unclear whether it referred to Cunningham, the officiating decision, or the Fever organization.[S1][S2][S3][S6]
Context and Controversy
The incident comes as Cunningham remains at the center of a debate over transgender athletes in women's sports. She has said she wants to "protect young girls in a locker room" and that "they shouldn't have to go against biological men." Supporters held a fourth rally outside the venue of a Fever road game on Saturday, while counterprotesters also gathered near the United Center. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt previously defended Cunningham, saying the backlash against her was "astonishing."[S1][S3]
Carrington has a contentious history with the Fever. During the 2024 season, she mocked Caitlin Clark for flopping and called Indiana supporters "the nastiest fans in the W" after receiving racist abuse. In the 2024 playoffs, she inadvertently poked Clark in the eye, leaving her with a black eye. Carrington has also responded to accusations of dirty play, insisting she plays aggressively and always attempts to make a play on the ball. She recently responded to an Instagram post containing Megan Rapinoe's critical comments about Cunningham's stance, writing "Clock it, Megan."[S1][S3][S4]
