During Saturday night’s game between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever, Sky’s DiJonai Carrington was ejected after being called for a Flagrant 2 foul on Fever’s Sophie Cunningham.
The call generated plenty of online chatter, adding to the recent conversations that have surrounded the league, including transgender rights and race. Cunningham has been vocal about her thoughts against transgender athletes in girls and women’s sports.
Cunningham said she thought Carrington’s foul against her was “unnecessary.”
“I’ve never really spoken to her and I have no beef with her, but I guess she has some pent up stuff,” Cunningham said.
Another look at the foul by DiJonai Carrington on Sophie Cunningham.
— Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) August 8, 2026
It was upgraded to a Flagrant 2 on review.pic.twitter.com/UVCDEAeKLH
Fever head coach Stephanie White said she thought the foul was not intentional.
“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, but it did happen, and I thought it was the right call.”
After being ejected from the game, Carrington posted on social media.
DiJonai Carrington on Threads from the locker room after being ejected for foul on Sophie Cunningham: pic.twitter.com/BVrzYH2SxH
— Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) August 8, 2026
WNBA Hall of Famers and NBC Sports analysts Sue Bird and Cheryl Miller provided their takes on the call and the rise of certain narratives. Both Bird and Cheryl noted that they wanted to see continued growth from the league, now in its 30th season.
“I want to see that same leadership during the collective bargaining agreement and how they rallied around the brand, the WNBA,” Miller said. “I want to see them do the same things they did during that time and stand up for their brand — this is our brand — and not watch outsiders hijack the league and our narrative.”
Bird echoed the ideas of how players and the league can act as a collective front.
“This is such a nuanced conversation,” Bird said. “But I do think there are people trying to leverage our league for their own personal gain...what I learned is you have tough conversations behind closed doors and strategize.”
Bird also spoke on her experience as a former player during the 2020 season which was dedicated to social justice movements.
“We fought for so many years — but in 2020 especially — to get to a point to where we were talking about the basketball,” Bird said. “And somehow, now the basketball is being used against us.”
