0
DiJonai Carrington has responded to the criticism surrounding her controversial “WHITE PRIVILEGE @indianafever” post following her ejection against the Indiana Fever. The Chicago Sky guard faced backlash after a Flagrant 2 foul on Sophie Cunningham during Saturday’s game, before posting the message from the locker room shortly after leaving the court.
Carrington later addressed the criticism on Tuesday after former NFL player and sports analyst Emmanuel Acho questioned the post. While she urged critics to “do their research,” her response did not fully explain what prompted her to use those specific words, leaving the social media controversy surrounding the Cunningham incident unresolved.
DiJonai Carrington Breaks Silence On ‘White Privilege’ Post After Sophie Cunningham Foul
Emotions boiled over during the Chicago Sky’s loss to the Indiana Fever last Saturday after DiJonai Carrington delivered a hard foul on Sophie Cunningham during a fast-break play. The foul was upgraded to a Flagrant 2, resulting in Carrington’s ejection, but the controversy did not end there. Shortly after being sent off, Carrington posted two words on social media that quickly drew attention: “White Privilege.”
The post sparked criticism from several American sports personalities, including former NFL player and analyst Emmanuel Acho. Speaking on the Speakeasy podcast, Acho argued that the foul had nothing to do with race and criticised Carrington for linking the incident to the term. He said: “It was not a race-based decision. To call that a white privilege-based foul is to completely undermine the term of white privilege and to also completely ignore the rules in basketball. You hit her in the head. You drew blood. You didn’t connect with the ball at all whatsoever. So to me, it was just very ignorant and, to some degree, asinine by DiJonai Carrington to suggest that that call was based on white privilege.”
Carrington, 28, later responded on X, although she stopped short of directly explaining what she meant by the original post. She wrote: “I’ve never once claimed that the assessment of the foul was white privilege (that was your assumption). 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. I actually went to school, one of the top universities might I add, to educate myself on this exact subject.”
She then added, “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.” Cunningham was also asked about Carrington’s post after the Fever’s 90-86 victory. The Indiana guard dismissed the idea that race played a role in the incident, saying: “I think the league is taking care of that. “This has nothing to do with race. Last year, I did the same thing and I got kicked out, and I deserved to be kicked out. There’s no reason even to play that card.”
Sophie Cunningham At The Center Of WNBA Controversy
Sophie Cunningham has repeatedly found herself at the center of WNBA controversies, with the drama extending well beyond a single incident. It began with her comments on transgender athletes, where she spoke about protecting biological women and young girls in sports and locker rooms. The remarks triggered widespread debate, political reactions and demonstrations around Fever games. Cunningham later stressed that she supports inclusion and fairness, saying her position was not rooted in hostility toward the transgender community.
The controversy continued on the court, most notably during a clash with Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington. After Carrington’s Flagrant 2 ejection for a foul on Cunningham, she posted “WHITE PRIVILEGE” while tagging the Fever, adding another layer to the rivalry. Cunningham has also been involved in viral moments, including her lengthy stare-down and pointing exchange with DeWanna Bonner that resulted in technical fouls and quickly became a social media sensation.