Key Takeaways
- DiJonai Carrington was ejected with a Flagrant 2 for a hard foul to Sophie Cunningham’s head, then posted “WHITE PRIVILEGE” on Threads, later insisting it referred to broader inconsistent treatment in the WNBA rather than the foul call itself.
- Boomer Esiason blasted Carrington’s post on WFAN’s Boomer and Gio, calling it “stupid” and suggesting the foul looked like a targeted attack on the popular Fever guard amid existing hostility toward Cunningham.
- Carrington and Sky coach Tyler Marsh maintained the contact was accidental and criticized the lack of consistency around Cunningham’s shove and league discipline, as Carrington followed the controversy by scoring 26 points in a loss to the Seattle Storm.
Boomer Esiason unloaded on Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington after her “WHITE PRIVILEGE” post sent an already-heated WNBA controversy into overdrive. During the latest edition of WFAN’s Boomer and Gio, the former NFL MVP ripped Carrington’s response to her ejection for a hard foul on Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham—and openly questioned whether the hit was targeted.
The collision happened during the Sky-Fever game on Saturday, August 8, when Carrington struck Cunningham across the head while defending a first-quarter layup. Officials upgraded the play to a Flagrant 2 following a video review, automatically ejecting Carrington. She later posted “WHITE PRIVILEGE” on Threads without further explanation.
“How is everybody supposed to react to that?” Esiason asked co-host Gregg Giannotti, per Fox News. “What are the opinions we are all supposed to have when you do something that stupid?”
Esiason did not stop there. He argued that the timing, Cunningham’s popularity and the hostility surrounding her could make the foul look deliberate. “I could say it’s a targeted attack,” he said. Giannotti agreed, adding, “Clearly, and I think most people believe that.”
Cunningham also called the foul intentional, suggesting Carrington may have been seeking attention or responding to Cunningham’s flagrant foul on Sky guard Jacy Sheldon last season.
Carrington flatly denied trying to hurt Cunningham—and later pushed back on the assumption that her “WHITE PRIVILEGE” post referred only to the ejection.
“I’ve never once claimed that the assessment of the foul was white privilege,” she wrote in response to media personality Emmanuel Acho. Carrington said she would not use the term “as a rhetorical weapon” without evidence, explaining that her criticism concerned a larger pattern of inconsistent treatment she has already raised with the WNBA.
Part of Carrington’s complaint involved Cunningham’s reaction immediately after the foul. Cunningham approached Carrington and gave her a small shove, but officials deemed it an “acceptable” response and did not issue a technical.
“I would just love consistency across the board,” Carrington said, whether involving “the foul that I commit” or “the reaction or retaliation.” She also maintained that the contact was accidental. “It was unfortunate that I made contact with her in the way that I did, but it was never intentional,” she said.
Sky coach Tyler Marsh backed Carrington’s account while acknowledging how quickly social media can reshape a story. The WNBA has not publicly addressed Carrington’s claims or indicated whether she will be disciplined for the post.
Carrington subsequently returned to the hardwood and dropped 26 points in Chicago’s 97-88 loss to the Seattle Storm.
