DiJonai Carrington Ejected For Hit On Sophie Cunningham ‘White Privilege’ Post Follows

CHICAGO, IL. (THECOUNT) — A heated WNBA matchup between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky erupted into controversy Saturday after DiJonai Carrington was ejected for a hard hit to the head of Sophie Cunningham, followed by a social media post that appeared to reference race and tag the Fever.

The incident occurred during the first quarter of Saturday’s game in Chicago. Carrington made contact with Cunningham’s head during a play, initially drawing a common foul from officials.

Following a review, officials upgraded the call to a Flagrant 2 foul and ejected Carrington from the game.

DiJonai Carrington was assessed a Flagrant 2 and was ejected from the game after this play. pic.twitter.com/WRapu4lqHX

— ESPN (@espn) August 8, 2026

Cunningham quickly got back to her feet after the contact, while teammate Makayla Timpson stepped between the two players as the situation unfolded on the court.

The controversy continued after Carrington’s ejection. A post reading “WHITE PRIVILEGE” appeared on Carrington’s Threads account and tagged the Indiana Fever.

Cunningham addressed the incident following the game, saying she believed the contact was intentional while also indicating that she did not have a personal relationship with Carrington.

“I don’t even know her,” Cunningham said.

Cunningham also rejected the suggestion that race played a role in the incident, pointing to her own previous ejection for a hard foul.

Fever head coach Stephanie White also weighed in on the play and said she did not believe Carrington intentionally targeted Cunningham.

The confrontation renewed attention on Carrington’s previous history involving Indiana and its players. During a 2024 playoff game, Carrington accidentally made contact with Caitlin Clark‘s eye, leading to significant discussion about the incident and whether the contact was intentional.

Saturday’s confrontation added another contentious moment to the developing rivalry between the Fever and Sky, two WNBA teams that have drawn considerable attention during their recent matchups.

The Flagrant 2 ruling and subsequent ejection made Carrington unavailable for the remainder of Saturday’s game. The social media post added another layer to an incident that had already generated attention among players, coaches and fans.

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