Chicago Sky Guard DiJonai Carrington Says Critics Misinterpreted Her Viral Post After She Was Ejected for a Hard Foul Against Sophie Cunningham
DiJonai Carrington is pushing back against criticism surrounding her “WHITE PRIVILEGE” social media post following her ejection from a weekend matchup against the Indiana Fever.
The Chicago Sky guard was tossed from Saturday’s game after officials reviewed a hard foul against Fever guard Sophie Cunningham. Carrington came from behind as Cunningham attempted a fast-break layup and made contact with her head and neck.
Officials upgraded the play to a Flagrant 2 foul, citing Carrington’s windup, impact and follow-through.
Following the ejection, Carrington posted “WHITE PRIVILEGE” on social media and tagged the Fever, quickly igniting a broader debate about the foul and her intentions behind the message.
Former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho was among those who criticized Carrington’s reaction.
Somebody needs to share this message to Dijonai Carrington.
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) August 10, 2026
You can’t call that foul “white privilege.” pic.twitter.com/9CJaw9LYlg
Carrington later responded to a clip of Acho discussing the controversy, saying she “never once claimed that the assessment of the foul was white privilege.”
She also rejected suggestions that she used the phrase casually or simply as a response to the officiating decision.
“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 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”,… https://t.co/mykXGTtiXJ
— dιjonaι carrιngтon♛ (@DijonaiVictoria) August 10, 2026
Carrington pointed to her academic background as part of her response, noting that she attended Stanford University for four years before finishing her college basketball career at Baylor University. She encouraged critics to research her background before making assumptions about her understanding of race and privilege.
WNBA Spotlight Extends Beyond The Court
The dispute comes as the WNBA continues to face heightened attention surrounding its players, rivalries and conversations extending beyond basketball.
Carrington and Cunningham have drawn increased attention since Cunningham joined Indiana, and matchups involving the two players have generated discussion both on and off the court.
Carrington’s latest response makes one point clear: She says critics assigned a meaning to her “WHITE PRIVILEGE” post that she never explicitly stated.
As of Monday, the WNBA had not announced any additional discipline against Carrington stemming from the incident.
