Chicago Sky forward DiJonai Carrington ejected after flagrant foul on Indiana Fever player

Chicago Sky forward DiJonai Carrington was ejected Saturday after officials upgraded a hard foul on Indiana Fever forward Sophie Cunningham to a Flagrant 2. The incident occurred in the first quarter when Carrington, coming from behind, struck Cunningham in the head and neck during a fast-break layup, causing Cunningham to fall as the shot went in.

Cunningham said she believed the foul was intentional and unnecessary, adding that she had no prior conflict with Carrington. Fever head coach Stephanie White described the play as a hard foul but said she did not think Carrington set out to target Cunningham’s neck, while still supporting the officials’ decision.

After the ejection, Carrington posted a message on social media that referenced “white privilege” and tagged the Fever. Sky coach Tyler Marsh said he had not reviewed the replay and initially thought Carrington was making a play on the ball, noting he would need to address the social-media post once he learned of it.

The league later rescinded a technical foul assessed to Fever star Caitlin Clark in the same game after she made contact with a referee. Clark said she would let the league decide whether the call should stand.

The incident has drawn additional attention to ongoing debates within the WNBA, including recent discussions by league commissioner Cathy Engelbert about transgender participation in women’s basketball.