On-court incident and social media post
During a recent game between the Chicago Sky and the Indiana Fever, DiJonai Carrington of the Sky was ejected after committing a Flagrant 2 foul on the Fever’s Sophie Cunningham. The incident occurred in the first quarter when Carrington made contact with Cunningham’s head and neck area as Cunningham was attempting a fast-break layup. The foul resulted in Cunningham falling to the court, though her shot was successful.
Following her ejection, Carrington posted the words “WHITE PRIVILEGE” on social media, tagging the Indiana Fever. Cunningham, who is white, stated that she believed the foul was intentional. She also commented on Carrington’s social media post, saying, “I think the league is taking care of that. This has nothing to do with race.”
Seth Curry, an NBA player, reacted to Carrington’s social media activity by posting on Threads, “Threads from the locker room after the ejection is comedy!” This comment placed him in the midst of the controversy, highlighting the swiftness of Carrington’s post-ejection social media use.
Reactions from players and coaches
Sophie Cunningham quickly rose after the foul and pushed Carrington, but was restrained by a teammate. Cunningham expressed her view that Carrington’s actions were an attempt to gain attention, particularly given the increased viewership of Fever games. “People just want attention. And that’s her just trying to get attention,” Cunningham stated.
Fever coach Stephanie White described the play as a “hard foul” but did not believe Carrington intentionally aimed for Cunningham’s neck. White supported the Flagrant 2 call. In contrast, Sky coach Tyler Marsh, who had not reviewed the replay, initially thought Carrington was attempting to play the ball and questioned if the foul warranted a Flagrant 2. Marsh also indicated that the team would address Carrington’s social media post.
The foul was initially assessed as a Flagrant 1 but was upgraded to a Flagrant 2 after a video review, which noted windup, impact, and follow-through. The Fever went on to win the game 90-86.
Other game events and league discussions
Later in the game, Fever star Caitlin Clark received a technical foul after making contact with a referee. Clark stated that the contact was unintentional and expressed hope that the league would rescind the technical foul. The technical foul was later rescinded by the WNBA.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert had previously issued a memo to teams, indicating ongoing discussions within the league regarding the participation of transgender individuals in women’s basketball. Sophie Cunningham has publicly supported barring transgender girls and women from girls’ and women’s sports, which has led to some protests outside Fever games.
Despite the various incidents and discussions, Sky coach Tyler Marsh commented that the controversy surrounding Cunningham did not affect his team’s approach to the game, stating, “Our mindset is trying to win games.” The Fever‘s victory was supported by Kelsey Mitchell, who scored 27 points, and Caitlin Clark, who contributed to the team’s performance.
The Fever‘s win improved their record, positioning them at the top of the Eastern Conference standings as they prepare to host the New York Liberty next.
Source: cnn.com
Mason Reed
Sports reporter covering football, basketball and international competitions.