DiJonai Carrington Denies Calling Flagrant 2 Foul ‘White Privilege’/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ DiJonai Carrington says she never claimed that her Flagrant 2 foul against Sophie Cunningham was assessed because of white privilege. Carrington posted “WHITE PRIVILEGE” after being ejected but later said critics had misinterpreted her message. The WNBA has not announced additional discipline, and Carrington scored a career-high 26 points Monday.
DiJonai Carrington of the Chicago Sky fouls Sophie Cunningham of the Indiana Fever during the first half Aug. 8, 2026, at the United Center in Chicago, Ill.
Quick Look
- DiJonai Carrington was ejected from Saturday’s Sky-Fever game.
- She struck Sophie Cunningham in the head and neck from behind.
- Officials upgraded the foul to a Flagrant 2 after video review.
- Carrington posted “WHITE PRIVILEGE” and tagged the Fever.
- She says the phrase did not refer to the foul assessment.
- Carrington responded to criticism from Emmanuel Acho.
- She studied psychology and African and African American studies at Stanford.
- The WNBA has not announced additional punishment.
- Carrington played Monday against the Seattle Storm.
- She scored a career-high 26 points off the bench.
- Chicago lost 97-88 to Seattle.
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham reacts to game action against the Portland Fire during the first half at Moda Center in Portland, Ore., on July 31, 2026.
Deep Look
Carrington denies linking foul ruling to race
Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington said she never claimed that officials assessed a Flagrant 2 foul against her because of white privilege.
Carrington was ejected from Saturday’s game against the Indiana Fever after striking Sophie Cunningham in the head and neck during a fast-break layup.
Carrington is Black, while Cunningham is white.
After leaving the game, Carrington posted “WHITE PRIVILEGE” on social media and tagged the Fever, prompting criticism and widespread interpretation that she was referring to the officiating decision.
Carrington said Monday that interpretation was incorrect.
Officials upgrade foul after video review
Carrington approached Cunningham from behind as the Fever player attempted a fast-break layup.
She made contact with Cunningham’s head and neck, knocking her to the floor as the shot went through the basket.
Officials reviewed the play and upgraded the initial call to a Flagrant 2 foul.
The referee said the decision was based on the presence of windup, impact and follow-through.
A Flagrant 2 designation results in an automatic ejection because officials judge the contact to be unnecessary and excessive.
Social media post sparks criticism
Carrington’s post-ejection message generated controversy because she wrote “WHITE PRIVILEGE” and directly tagged Indiana.
Former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho criticized her reaction in a video clip.
Carrington responded Monday on X, saying she “never once claimed that the assessment of the foul was white privilege.”
She challenged Acho’s interpretation and defended her knowledge of the subject.
“Try exercising your critical thinking skills, I know you studied psych. Furthermore, I’m the LAST thing from ignorant or asinine when it comes to speaking on ‘white privilege’, do ya research on that one,” Carrington wrote. “I actually went to school, one of the top universities might I add, to educate myself on this exact subject.
“I would never use that term as a rhetorical weapon knowing the historical and social weight it holds without having the proper evidence to substantiate it.”
Carrington did not explain in the cited posts what specific situation her original “WHITE PRIVILEGE” message was intended to address.
Carrington cites Stanford education
Carrington played four seasons of college basketball at Stanford before completing her college career at Baylor.
While attending Stanford, she majored in psychology and African and African American studies.
She cited that academic background while rejecting the suggestion that she had used the term carelessly or without understanding its historical meaning.
The 28-year-old’s response focused on distinguishing her original post from the conclusion that she was accusing the referees of racial bias in assessing the foul.
WNBA has not announced further discipline
The WNBA has not announced whether Carrington will face additional punishment for the contact with Cunningham.
The Flagrant 2 ruling removed her from Saturday’s game, but no suspension or fine had been disclosed.
Carrington returned to action Monday night when Chicago faced the Seattle Storm.
She entered from the bench, played 27 minutes and scored a career-high 26 points.
The Sky lost 97-88.
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