Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington has pushed back against the backlash surrounding her contentious “white privilege” post, which followed Saturday’s heated on-court clash with Indiana Fever forward Sophie Cunningham.
Carrington and Cunningham had to be pulled apart after Carrington committed a hard Flagrant 2 foul that left Cunningham bleeding from the mouth during Indiana’s win. Shortly after being ejected, Carrington posted on social media: “WHITE PRIVILEGE @indianafever.”
The comment sparked immediate debate, with many observers — including podcaster and former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho — interpreting it as a claim that officials had ejected an African-American player for fouling a white opponent because of racial bias.
“To call that a white privilege-based foul is to completely undermine the term of white privilege and to also completely ignore the rules in basketball,” Acho said on Speakeasy. “You hit her in the head. You drew blood. You didn’t connect with the ball at all whatsoever… So to me, it was just very ignorant and, to some degree, asinine by D.J. Carrington to suggest that that call was based on white privilege.”
Carrington later responded to the clip on social media, also pointing to her academic background and noting that she earned two degrees from Stanford.
“I’ve never once claimed that the assessment of the foul was white privilege (that was your assumption),” the 28-year-old San Diego native wrote on X. “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’, do ya research on that one.
DiJonai Carrington has responded to criticism over her “white privilege” post following Saturday’s confrontation with Fever forward Sophie Cunningham
Carrington and Cunningham were separated after the Sky guard’s Flagrant 2 foul left the Fever forward bleeding from the mouth during Indiana’s victory
WNBA officials ruled Carrington committed a Flagrant 2 with this hard foul on Cunningham
‘I actually went to school, one of the top universities might I add, to educate myself on this exact subject,’ continued Carrington, who has degrees in psychology as well as African and African-American Studies.
‘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.’
As for a full explanation of what Carrington did mean with her ‘white privilege’ post, the public is still waiting. She and the Sky traveled to Seattle for Monday night’s tip-off with the Storm, but Carrington has not yet spoken with reporters about her controversial social media post or the foul that preceded it.
Acho did not dismiss Carrington’s perspective entirely.
In fact, he defended Carrington’s on-court claim that she was trying to make a ‘basketball play’ – presumably an effort to break up a fast-break by committing a hard foul.
Acho (pictured) did not dismiss Carrington entirely, saying she tried to make a basketball play
‘Dijonai Carrington made a basketball play,’ Acho said. ‘The refs made a basketball ruling. So can we stick to basketball for moment? Basketball play. She was attempting to go for the ball – at least she said so. She missed, and she missed egregiously.
‘She missed and she flagrantly hit Sophie Cunningham in the head. Now, Flagrant 2, by definition: If you hit somebody with so much force that it could lead to injury, and it doesn’t appear to be a play on the ball.
‘Have we seen examples of white players make that same foul and get away with it?’ Acho asked. ‘Have we seen examples of black players make that same foul and get away with it? Yes. There was no white privilege involved in that specific call.’
Cunningham has addressed Carrington’s ‘white privilege’ claim.
‘I think the league is taking care of that. This has nothing to do with race,’ she told ESPN. ‘Last year, I did the same thing and I got kicked out. And I deserved to be kicked out. There’s no reason even to play that card.’
Cunningham charged after Carrington following the foul, for which the Sky guard was tossed
The Daily Mail has contacted the WNBA for comment.
On the incident, Cunningham added: ‘Clearly, I think it was like unnecessary. I’ve never really spoken to her and have no beef with her, but I guess she has some pent up stuff. So get your s*** off. That’s fine. I can take it.’
Cunningham suggested Carrington was simply ‘craving’ attention. ‘I do think when people play the Fever, we’re nationally televised, there’s a lot of eyes on us and people just want attention. And that’s her just trying to get attention,’ she continued.
‘I don’t even know her. She wasn’t even on the team last year when all that was going on… it’s intentional. She wasn’t even on the team. She has no reason to be doing any of that. So, good way to get her kicked out.’
Following the foul, Cunningham immediately climbed to her feet and attempted to confront Carrington, only for teammates and staff to drag her away.
Footage from courtside appeared to show Cunningham calling her rival a ‘dumb a** b****’ and shouting: ‘Why the f*** would you do that?’
After the game, however, Cunningham insisted: ‘I wasn’t even upset… I popped up. I’m not going to let anyone just do that to me. I think everyone knows that. I think that’s why she did it because she wants attention.
‘I mean, s***, people have started craving attention. Like, go get it somewhere else. Go do something good in the world.’
