DiJonai Carrington pushes back on criticism after ‘White Privilege’ post following WNBA ejection
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Carrington says she would not use the term “white privilege” as a “rhetorical weapon” without evidence after her ejection against Indiana.
DiJonai Carrington is setting the record straight after a fiery weekend in the WNBA that quickly became about much more than basketball.
The Chicago Sky guard was ejected Saturday after delivering a hard foul to Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham during a fast-break layup. Carrington came from behind and struck Cunningham in the head and neck, sending her to the floor. After a review, officials upgraded the foul to a Flagrant 2, citing the windup, impact and follow-through.
Shortly after her ejection, Carrington, who is Black, posted “WHITE PRIVILEGE” on social media and tagged the Fever. The post sparked immediate discussion online, including criticism from former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho.
Somebody needs to share this message to Dijonai Carrington.
You can’t call that foul “white privilege.” pic.twitter.com/9CJaw9LYlg
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) August 10, 2026
But Carrington says her post has been misunderstood.
Responding to a clip of Acho criticizing her reaction, Carrington wrote on X that she “never once claimed that the assessment of the foul was white privilege.”
She went on to push back against the idea that she was casually invoking the term.
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
“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.
Carrington also pointed to her academic background, noting that she attended Stanford for four years before finishing her college basketball career at Baylor. She challenged critics to do their research before making assumptions about her understanding of race and privilege.
The controversy comes as the WNBA continues to navigate an increasingly intense spotlight surrounding the league, its players and the culture surrounding the sport. Carrington and Cunningham have been at the center of heightened attention since Cunningham joined the Fever, with the matchup between the two teams drawing plenty of conversation beyond the court.
For now, Carrington’s message is that the meaning behind her post was not what some critics have suggested—and she wants that distinction understood.
The WNBA had not announced any additional punishment for Carrington as of Monday.