DiJonai Carrington has discovered herself on the middle of WNBA controversy once more following a heated conflict with Sophie Cunningham on Saturday.
The incident got here within the first quarter, when Indiana Fever guard Cunningham, who’s white, drove for a layup. Chicago Sky guard Carrington, who’s Black, chased the play from behind and struck Cunningham across the head and neck space, sending her crashing to the ground because the basket dropped.
Officers reviewed the foul and issued Carrington a flagrant 2, triggering an computerized ejection. As she made her manner off the court docket towards the locker room, Cunningham and Fever teammate Caitlin Clark have been each seen waving in her route.
Cameras later confirmed Cunningham, 29, smiling and applauding after the officers introduced their ruling. Moments earlier than, footage appeared to seize her calling Carrington a ‘dumb a** b****’ and yelling: ‘Why the f*** would you do this?’
Carrington responded shortly after her ejection with a publish from contained in the locker room, writing on social media: ‘WHITE PRIVILEGE @indianafever.’
It’s not the primary time Carrington, 28, has been caught up in a flashpoint involving one of many WNBA’s most high-profile gamers.
DiJonai Carrington struck Sophie Cunningham throughout the face throughout Saturday’s recreation
An offended Cunningham needed to be restrained by teammates after being knocked to the court docket by the arduous foul
The Indiana Fever star was left bloodied by the incident, which provoked a livid response
Carrington, who was ejected, later wrote on social media: ‘WHITE PRIVILEGE @indianafever’
Again in September 2024, whereas taking part in for the Connecticut Solar, Carrington left Clark, 24, with a black eye after poking the Fever guard within the face throughout her rookie season that was stricken by tough therapy from her opponents.
One month after that incident, Carrington mocked Clark by recreating the poke throughout an Instagram livestream along with her ex-girlfriend and fellow WNBA participant NaLyssa Smith.
Smith seemed to intentionally catch Carrington’s eye within the video earlier than she stated, ‘You poked me within the eye’ with a smile on her face. The pair then started laughing as Carrington requested, ‘Did you do it on goal?’ – an obvious dig at USA In the present day columnist Christine Brennan, who had requested if she poked Clark deliberately.
‘I don’t even know why I’d intend to hit anyone within the eye,’ Carrington responded to Brennan when requested if it was intentional throughout the interview.
‘That doesn’t even make sense to me. However no, I didn’t. I didn’t know I hit her, really. I used to be attempting to make a play on the ball, and I suppose I adopted by way of and I hit her.
‘Clearly it’s by no means intentional. That’s not even the kind of participant that I’m.’
The query from Brennan sparked backlash from the WNBA Gamers’ Affiliation, who launched a rare assertion saying that her query to Carrington was ‘a blatant try and bait knowledgeable athlete into taking part in a story that’s false and designed to gasoline racist, homophobic and misogynistic vitriol on social media.’
USA In the present day defended Brennan, responding with their very own assertion that stated: ‘We reject the notion that the interview perpetuated any narrative aside from to get the participant’s perspective instantly.
‘Christine Brennan is nicely thought to be an advocate for ladies and athletes however at first, she’s a journalist.’
Then, in June of this yr Clark was caught on digital camera gossiping with Cunningham a few WNBA rival who ‘hates’ her throughout a Fever win over the Dallas Wings.
Footage captured by ION confirmed Cunningham whispering into the ear of Clark whereas they have been sat on the bench collectively in Dallas. It was unclear what the Fever guard initially stated given her celebrity teammate was overlaying her mouth with a towel. Nevertheless, Clark seemingly responded to Cunningham by saying: ‘Yep, I do know… she hates me.’
Followers rapidly started to invest about who the Indiana sensation may have been speaking about – if these feedback have been interpreted precisely – and lots of thought it may very well be Carrington.
Carrington appeared to poke Caitlin Clark within the eye throughout a playoff recreation again in 2024
Clark was sporting a transparent shiner on her proper eye in her postgame press convention
The WNBA gamers’ union known as out journalist Christine Brennan for asking if it was intentional
Carrington was beforehand pressured to handle claims that she performs ‘soiled’ on social media again in June 2025. On the time, she acquired a flagrant-1 foul after making extreme contact with Skylar Diggins of the Seattle Storm.
Per week earlier than that incident, Carrington had screamed within the face of a referee, who pulled a safety guard in between the 2, a transfer the guard stated was a ‘microaggression.’ A tough foul in opposition to the Minnesota Lynx additionally passed off a month earlier.
‘Yall followers swear I’m such a grimy participant,’ Carrington posted. ‘I’m SO over this narrative bc if u actually know bball, u know I jus play arduous asf & by no means quit on a play. & yup, we challenged the final couple flagrants & obtained em rescinded bc I’m ALWAYS tryna make a play on the ball nun extra, nun much less.’
However Carrington has not simply sparked outrage on the court docket. In January 2025, she wore a ‘f*** Donald Trump’ hoodie to an Unmatched basketball recreation and shared the photographs on her X account with the caption: ‘What my hoodie says.’
The sweatshirt was a chunk of merch from the rapper YG, who in 2016 performed reveals all throughout the USA on a tour known as ‘F*** Donald Trump.’
Carrington was met with extra criticism than assist in response to her publish, with individuals mocking her and saying the publish was attention-seeking.
Days later, she blasted Trump once more and known as on the WNBA to ‘take motion’ in opposition to a number of the president’s extra divisive insurance policies that he carried out upon beginning his second time period within the White Home.
She stated: ‘We see that a number of the insurance policies are already going into motion, and, after all, that implies that because the WNBA and being on the forefront of loads of these actions, it’s time for us to additionally take motion.
‘It undoubtedly must occur as ladies, ladies’s rights being taken away, like, now, LGBTQ rights being taken away now. They haven’t occurred but, however undoubtedly within the works.’
Then, extra off-court drama adopted final month, when Carrington accused ex-girlfriend Smith of dishonest on her with two different gamers within the WNBA.
Carrington was pressured to handle claims she performs ‘soiled’ after a foul on Skylar Diggins
She additionally screamed within the face of a referee, who pulled a safety guard in between the 2
Carrington and NaLyssa Smith, 26, started relationship in 2020 whereas they have been each members of the ladies’s basketball crew at Baylor College. The 2 continued to this point whereas they performed on completely different WNBA groups earlier than briefly taking part in collectively on the Wings final season.
When Carrington introduced their break up in November 2025, there was no indication of dangerous blood between them. ‘We’re good however we’re not collectively any extra,’ she stated on the time. ‘It was on good phrases. We simply grew in several instructions.’
However then, on July 27, Carrington alleged Smith’s infidelity in a publish on Threads.
‘Since mfs wanna be humorous immediately ima be hilarious!’ Carrington posted. ‘sure , nalyssa cheated on me with Deja Kelly and Aaliyah Nye +++ many extra.’
Smith responded to Carrington in a Twitch video within the days after, hitting again at her ex for going public with the claims after believing that they had moved on.
‘Whether or not she cheated on me and I cheated on her, why are we bringing that to the web a yr later when no person did something to anyone?’ Smith stated. ‘Whether or not she cheated on me or I cheated on her, that has nothing to do with anyone. Like what? That don’t even make sense.’
Carrington has been rumored to now be relationship Smith’s teammate on the Las Vegas Aces, Jackie Younger. Whereas it has not been publicly confirmed, Smith appeared to reference that Carrington was in a brand new relationship whereas criticizing her for name-dropping Kelly and Nye.
‘Then, to carry up people identify that has nothing to do with something. These people is minding their enterprise,’ Smith stated. ‘That’s ridiculous, particularly whenever you’re in a contented, wholesome relationship.
‘I’d by no means in my life do this to no person if I used to be in a contented, wholesome relationship. These people woke as much as this s*** on a random Sunday… I believe that’s very bizarre.’
It’s unclear what prompted Carrington to make her publish however Smith implied it was from an encounter throughout the WNBA’s All-Star recreation held in Chicago days prior.
‘I’m saying I’m the sufferer in that state of affairs for certain. I didn’t do nothing. I didn’t hassle no person,’ she stated.
‘We got here to the spot. People was chilling. No one did nothing to no person. I didn’t exit of my method to hassle anyone or come to someplace uninvited. However I suppose the liquor, the cameras, her crowd, I suppose she obtained some kind of… any person boosted her as much as achieve some confidence.’
In the meantime, Kelly, 24, and Nye, 23, haven’t responded to the claims.
They each entered the league final season. Nye was drafted thirteenth total within the second spherical out of Alabama whereas Kelly went undrafted out of Oregon. Each gamers signed contracts with the Las Vegas Aces in 2025. Nye now performs for Atlanta Dream whereas Kelly performs for Charlotte Crown within the UpShot League.
DiJonai Carrington accused ex-girlfriend NaLyssa Smith of dishonest on her with different gamers
In response, Smith slammed Carrington for mentioning their previous relationship out of the blue
Carrington claimed that Aaliyah Nye (left) and Deja Kelly (proper) have been two folks that Smith cheated on her with
That brings us to Saturday’s ordeal with Cunningham – who has been on the middle of a tradition battle in current weeks following feedback she made about transgender athletes.
Within the wake of the incident on the court docket this weekend, Barstool chief Dave Portnoy, a devoted Clark fan, posted a clip of Carrington ranting at a taxi driver with the caption: ‘Lets not overlook the time DiJonai went on a … racist rant in opposition to a cab driver. When individuals present you who they’re imagine them.’
Through the Instagram livestream from December 2024, Chicago Sky star Carrington alleged that her and her pals, who have been out celebrating a birthday, have been kicked out of their taxi, seemingly for attempting to play their music.
‘These items is loopy and I needed to actually expose him [the driver] in actual time,’ she will be seen saying to the digital camera.
‘I don’t know why white individuals assume they’ll get away with attempting to simply scare black individuals by saying, “Oh, I’m gonna name the police.” Okay, and we did nothing unsuitable, in order that’s tremendous. Go forward and name the police.
‘There he’s girls and gents. Stay and within the flesh so that you can see. He tried to kidnap us and take us.
‘Look, now he’s going to speak to our subsequent Uber driver. Let’s see how this goes.’
Carrington and her pals ordered one other rideshare to choose them up and, when he arrived, the opposite driver was filmed strolling over to inform him one thing.
‘He simply stated one thing in one other language to the following driver. What did he say?’ Carrington requested.
When Carrington obtained within the car, she realized the second driver was really a Spanish speaker, not Arabic. She then yelled on the first taxi driver: ‘Dummy, he don’t even communicate that language. He speaks Spanish.
‘He’s a dumba** as a result of our new driver speaks Spanish. This motherf***er was attempting to talk Arabic. Arabic and Spanish don’t sound the identical.’
The Every day Mail has contacted Carrington’s representatives for remark.
Carrington mocked a ‘dumba**’ taxi driver in December 2024
After the chaotic scenes on the court docket on Saturday, Cunningham slammed Carrington for ‘taking part in’ the race ‘card’ after her claims her rival benefited from ‘white privilege.’
‘I believe the league is taking good care of that. This has nothing to do with race,’ Cunningham advised ESPN. ‘Final yr, I did the identical factor and I obtained kicked out. And I deserved to be kicked out. There’s no cause even to play that card.’
On the incident, Cunningham added: ‘Clearly, I believe it was like pointless. I’ve by no means actually spoken to her and don’t have any beef along with her, however I suppose she has some pent up stuff. So get your s*** off. That’s tremendous. I can take it.’
Cunningham recommended Carrington was merely ‘craving’ consideration. ‘I do assume when individuals play the Fever, we’re nationally televised, there’s loads of eyes on us and other people simply need consideration. And that’s her simply attempting to get consideration,’ she continued.
‘I don’t even know her. She wasn’t even on the crew final yr when all that was happening… it’s intentional. She wasn’t even on the crew. She has no cause to be doing any of that. So, good method to get her kicked out.’
Cunningham added: ‘I wasn’t even upset… I popped up. I’m not going to let anybody simply do this to me. I believe everybody is aware of that. I believe that’s why she did it as a result of she needs consideration.
‘I imply, s***, individuals have began craving consideration. Like, go get it some other place. Go do one thing good on this planet.’
