A game between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever on Saturday resulted in an ejection and subsequent social media controversy. During the first quarter, Carrington of the Sky was called for a Flagrant 2 foul after striking Cunningham of the Fever in the head and neck area while Cunningham was attempting a fast-break layup. The foul was reviewed and upgraded from a standard foul due to factors including windup, impact, and follow-through on the play.
Minutes after being ejected, Carrington posted the phrase “WHITE PRIVILEGE” on social media and tagged the Fever. Cunningham responded to the incident and Carrington’s post, stating she believed the foul was unnecessary and intentional. She rejected the notion that race played any role in the ejection, noting that she herself had received an ejection the previous year under similar circumstances. Cunningham stated she did not believe the messaging had relevance to officiating decisions.
Sky coach Tyler Marsh indicated he had not reviewed the play in detail and believed Carrington was attempting to make a play on the ball rather than committing an intentional foul. When asked about Carrington’s social media post, Marsh stated the team would address the matter. Fever coach Stephanie White characterized the foul as hard but did not believe it was an intentional targeting of the neck area.
The game also featured a separate incident involving Fever star Caitlin Clark, who was assessed a technical foul in the third quarter after contact with a referee. The technical foul triggered a potential one-game suspension, though the WNBA rescinded the penalty within hours after the game concluded. Clark disputed the call, stating it was not intentional.
The incidents occurred amid broader discussions within the WNBA about league policies and standards. The league’s commissioner issued a memo to teams addressing ongoing discussions about participation policies in women’s basketball.
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