Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington has drawn renewed scrutiny from WNBA fans following two aggressive fouls in a recent game against the Golden State Valkyries. The incidents occurred just days after Carrington was ejected for a flagrant foul on Sophie Cunningham of the Indiana Fever.
During the 91-71 loss to the Valkyries on Wednesday, Carrington was involved in two separate plays that ignited fan backlash. The first occurred while defending Cecilia Zandalasini at the top of the key. Video appeared to show Carrington’s hand making contact with Zandalasini’s face and eye area while attempting to block a pass. Zandalasini was visibly in pain after the play. Sky coach Tyler Marsh was observed signaling Carrington to keep her hands up. This incident drew comparisons to a 2024 foul by Carrington on Caitlin Clark, which resulted in a black eye for the Fever star.
Later in the game, Carrington committed another foul against Tiffany Hayes as she drove to the basket. Carrington’s arm made contact with Hayes’ face as she went up for a layup.
These plays led to a surge of critical comments from fans on social media. Many expressed frustration with Carrington’s physicality, with one user writing, “DiJonai collecting eyebounds like they’re rebounds.” Another commented, “DiJonai has to be banned from the @WNBA this person don’t belong in basketball.” A third user stated, “Dijonai Carrington always hitting someone in the face or head. She has to do a better job of controlling her hands and arms, because this is starting to look reckless.”
The incidents followed Carrington's ejection from a game days earlier for a hard foul on Sophie Cunningham. As Cunningham drove for a layup, Carrington made contact with her face from behind. After the foul, Carrington was ejected and subsequently posted “WHITE PRIVILEGE” on Threads, tagging the Fever. Cunningham later stated that the foul call had “nothing to do with race” and that she had been ejected for a similar play the previous year.
Carrington later addressed the “white privilege” post, clarifying through X (formerly Twitter) that she had not claimed the foul assessment was related to white privilege. She stated her intent was not rhetorical and that she had educated herself on the subject. She declined to elaborate further on the post when questioned by reporters.
Carrington indicated she had spoken with individuals who could influence change regarding such incidents. The WNBA season has seen increased attention on player conduct, alongside ongoing discussions about athlete eligibility in women's sports. The Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever are scheduled to play again on August 23 in Indiana.