DiJonai Carrington Ejected for Flagrant Foul in Sky vs. Fever Game

Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington faced ejection from a game against the Indiana Fever due to a hard foul on Sophie Cunningham. The incident took place at the United Center, where Carrington chased Cunningham from behind, committing a foul during a breakaway layup. Her forearm hit Cunningham in the face, causing her to fall.

Cunningham was held back by teammate Makayla Timpson after the altercation, but no technical foul was assigned to Cunningham. Referees quickly classified the foul as flagrant. Following a review, they elevated it to a Flagrant 2, resulting in Carrington’s ejection. Despite Cunningham’s involvement in the post-foul scuffle, she faced no penalties and successfully made the flagrant free throw. The game proceeded with the Sky, who were leading when the foul took place, eventually unable to adjust to Carrington’s absence. She had scored eight points in under four minutes before leaving the game. Cunningham completed the game with three points in 28 minutes.

In response to her ejection, Carrington took to social media from the locker room, expressing her discontent with a post referencing “white privilege” and tagging the Indiana Fever’s official account. She also tweeted the next matchup date accompanied by a smiley face emoji. Sky coach Tyler Marsh stated he was initially unaware of Carrington’s posts.

Coach Marsh mentioned that discussions on off-the-court issues, including Cunningham’s recent comments on transgender athletes in sports, were not part of the game preparation. He emphasized the team’s focus on striving for playoff qualification. “DiJonai is a passionate player, like most on our team,” Marsh explained. “We aim to ensure player safety. As for this game, there wasn’t more or less intensity than usual. We hope Sophie is unharmed.”

Dubbed a highlight for the WNBA’s “Rivals Week,” tensions remained high. Fever guard Caitlin Clark and head coach Stephanie White received technical fouls in the third quarter, aiding Chicago in narrowing the deficit. However, after the game, Clark’s technical was overturned. It would have been her eighth, resulting in a suspension for technical foul accumulation. Natasha Cloud of the Sky earned a technical for bench conduct in the fourth quarter.

The Sky mounted a comeback from several double-digit deficits to bring the lead within a single possession, yet failed to secure a final advantage. Ultimately, this game marked the Sky’s eighth consecutive loss against the Fever. The event saw 16,065 spectators at the United Center. This was the Sky’s fourth regular-season game held there, anticipated to appeal to larger audiences, but they are yet to secure a victory in these matchups.