DiJonai Carrington, a player for the Chicago Sky, initiated an incident that led to a fan being temporarily removed from a courtside seat during a WNBA game against the Chicago Sky and the Las Vegas Aces on Wednesday night at Chase Center in San Francisco.
During the fourth quarter of the game, Carrington approached officials to voice a complaint about a fan seated courtside. Arena security then escorted the fan from his seat. According to a Valkyries official, the fan was cooperative after what the official described as an "unfounded" complaint. The fan was later permitted to return to his seat.
The Chicago Sky acknowledged the fan received a warning but declined further comment. Broadcasters noted a stoppage in play as team and arena security addressed the situation. Video footage showed Carrington speaking with a referee and a Sky staff member before the fan was briefly spoken to by Sky staff and subsequently seen interacting with other spectators.
The Valkyries went on to win the game 91-71, securing their fifth consecutive victory. Carrington concluded the game with three points, three rebounds, and three turnovers in 24 minutes.
This incident followed a previous game on Saturday where Carrington was ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul after a collision with Indiana Fever player Caitlin Clark. Following her ejection, Carrington posted on social media referencing "white privilege," which generated league-wide discussion. She later clarified her comment, stating it was not an assessment of the foul itself but a broader point.
Carrington indicated she had discussed past and potential future incidents with individuals who have the agency to enact change, though the specific nature of these discussions and their intended outcomes remain unclear. Caitlin Clark, when asked about the previous game's call, stated it had "nothing to do with race" and drew a parallel to a similar hard foul she committed in the past.
The Sky and Fever are scheduled to play again on August 23.