The rivalry between Chicago and the Indiana Fever may have lost some of its luster after the Sky traded Angel Reese to Atlanta back in April, but Saturday showed there is still plenty to talk about whenever the two teams come together, regardless of their records.
A layup by Chicago guard DiJonai Carrington gave the Sky an 18-17 lead with 2:49 in the first quarter. It would be her eighth and final points of the afternoon.
After forcing a turnover, Indiana’s Sophie Cunningham found herself with a breakaway layup opportunity. Carrington took a swipe at Cunningham, with her left arm going squarely across Cunningham’s face, sending Cunningham hard to the floor. Cunningham popped up after the awkward and unbalanced landing, and immediately got in the face of Carrington. To her credit, Cunningham made the basket, and was immediately pulled away by Fever teammate Makayla Timpson before punches could be thrown.
During the first replay, ESPN announcers Ryan Ruocco and Rebecca Lobo both felt the foul would be upgraded to a Flagrant-1, which implies excessive contact. Lobo almost immediately thereafter stated that the foul should be upgraded to a Flagrant-2, with Ruocco citing “there is wind-up, there is follow-through, there’s potential for injury.”
After a review of several minutes, Carrington was indeed ejected from the ballgame, and was escorted back to the locker room. The most stunning part of the proceedings was the look of amazement on Carrington’s face upon hearing the announcement that she was being ejected. This is where our tale takes a turn. Carrington grabbed her phone moments later in the locker room, and posted to her official Threads account, “WHITE PRIVILEGE @indianafaver," tagging the Fever’s official Threads account in the post.
Immediately turning to social media once she returned to the locker room to play the race card will not be forgotten for the rest of Carrington's career. Neither is lost on anyone that this happened against the Indiana Fever, who have arguably the two most recognizable players in the WNBA to the causal sports fan in Cunningham and Caitlin Clark.
Cunningham has been the target of controversy dating back to last season, and the past month did her no favors. Dubbed as “MAGA Barbie” by a number of fans, Cunningham reignited the fire of being against transgender athletes playing in women’s sports from an ESPN article posted on July 21. To put Cunningham as part of the target of a racial post by Carrington is the absolute worst case scenario for the league this weekend.
This is not how you do business.
Carrington, 28, was named to the WNBA All-Defensive First Team, and named the league’s Most Improved Player in 2024, despite the Sky finishing 13-27, third-worst in the league. Chicago is Carrington’s fourth team since being drafted in 2021 out of Baylor. This year, Carrington missed the first 27 games of the season due to a foot injury carried over from the 2025 WNBA Playoffs, when she was a member of the Minnesota Lynx.
We shall see if there is any carryover, as both of these teams will meet again in Chicago on August 23. The Sky will certainly be out of the playoff hunt, while the Fever will be contending to host a first round playoff series.
Social media was not kind to Carrington in the slightest Saturday night, nor should they be. To say something public in the heat of an altercation could be justified in certain instances. However, the post remained on Carrington’s Threads account Sunday morning. Whether the intent was intentional or incidental, Carrington essentially clotheslined Cunningham from behind, and even in the NBA that’s going to lead to an early exit. Carrington could certainly be upset with the fact that Cunningham was not assessed a technical foul for a partial shove back once she returned to her feet, but this is where the argument stops. Last season while a member of the Dallas Wings, Carrington had a similar issue with Lynx forward Jessica Shepard, and was assessed a Flagrant-1.
On that play Carrington came in from behind to make a block attempt under the basket, and could be seen pulling back on Sheppard’s forehead and hair as the latter crashed to the floor. Sheppard popped up the same way that Cunningham did, but there were more players to get between them, while Carrington stood motionless with a blank, yet stupid, look on her face. What made this foul worse is that Sheppard landed on the lower body of Dallas star rookie Paige Bueckers, who in her second season has established herself as one of the future faces of the league. Bueckers went onto win Rookie of the Year in 2025, but has a history of serious knee surgeries in college at Connecticut.
Carrington has been building a reputation amongst media and fans alike as a dirty player in recent years. Today's play was not a basketball move. Even watching in real time you could tell Carrington was doing just enough to make it appear she was going for the block. With the ball in Cunningham’s right hand, Carrington had to come across Cunningham’s body in the air to make the block.
Cunningham addressed the foul after the game, calling it "unnecessary," and stating she did not have any issue with Carrington. There may not be history between the two, but wrapping up Cunningham with both arms would have been enough...this looked personal. Those who came to Carrington's aid on social media have pointed out the double standard that Cunningham has committed hard fouls in recent years, and not been ejected. The argument is Cunningham is officiated differently than any other player, as she is thought of as the enforcer and protector of Clark. Earlier this season Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas put her fist in Clark's throat while scrambling for a loose ball on the floor. While no foul was called in game, the WNBA reviewed the play, assessed Thomas a Flagrant-2, and suspended her for the Mercury's next game.
The act itself may not warrant suspension, but trying to justify three words on Carrington's phone moments after cannot go unaddressed by the league, regardless of any controversy over Cunningham's comments, or the widespread criticism of the officiating in 2026.
-JC24