DiJonai Carrington played for the Chicago Sky against the Seattle Storm on Monday night, one day after her ejection from a game for a Flagrant 2 foul and her subsequent social media declaration of "White privilege." The WNBA has not yet announced any disciplinary action for the veteran guard.
Carrington was ejected during Saturday's game against the Indiana Fever after a foul on Sophie Cunningham. With approximately two minutes left in the first half, Cunningham had a breakaway opportunity when Carrington attempted to stop her. The play resulted in Carrington hitting Cunningham hard in the face, sending her to the floor.
Officials reviewed the play and upgraded the foul to a Flagrant 2, leading to Carrington's ejection. Shortly after, Carrington posted on her Threads account, "WHITE PRIVILEGE," tagging the Indiana Fever's account. The post's specific target—whether Cunningham, the officials' decision, or the Fever organization—remained unclear.
Carrington later addressed criticism of her post on X, formerly Twitter. She stated that her "White privilege" comment was not an assessment of the foul itself but was a response to assumptions made about her statement. She further asserted her understanding of the term's historical and social weight, citing her education on the subject.
Sophie Cunningham has been a focal point in a broader debate within the WNBA concerning transgender athletes in women's sports. Supporters of Cunningham's stance have organized rallies outside games, while counter-protesters have also appeared. Cunningham has stated her position is about protecting women's sports and does not stem from hatred toward transgender individuals.
This is not the first time Carrington has been involved in controversies with Fever players. In the 2024 season, while with the Connecticut Sun, she appeared to mock Caitlin Clark for perceived flopping and later called Fever supporters "the nastiest fans in the W." During the 2024 WNBA Playoffs, Carrington made contact with Clark's eye, resulting in a black eye. Both players deemed the contact accidental, though Carrington faced renewed criticism after an Instagram Live video where she seemed to joke about the incident.
Carrington has also previously defended her aggressive style of play, which some critics have labeled as dirty. She maintains she plays aggressively but always aims to make a play on the ball.
Beyond her on-court actions, Carrington has been publicly vocal on political issues, including wearing an anti-President Donald Trump sweatshirt and advocating for WNBA players to oppose Trump administration policies affecting women and the LGBTQ community.
Carrington is in her sixth WNBA season and her first with the Chicago Sky, averaging 9.8 points and 2.2 rebounds in five games for the team.