DAILY BS BULLETIN
- DiJonai Carrington was ejected for a flagrant foul on Sophie Cunningham.
- Carrington answered the ruling with a “white privilege” accusation.
- Florida’s attorney general warned that similar conduct in his state could bring criminal charges.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier put the WNBA on notice Monday, threatening criminal charges if the kind of hit Sophie Cunningham absorbed over the weekend ever lands on a court in the Sunshine State.
“The WNBA knows better than to play games down here in Florida, because I’ll be charging people with assault,” Uthmeier wrote. He later added a legal clarification: “Assault and battery.”
No charges have been filed, and Saturday’s game was played in Chicago—not Florida. But Uthmeier’s warning added a political aftershock to an already combustible WNBA controversy.
The WNBA knows better than to play games down here in Florida, because I’ll be charging people with assault. https://t.co/wryaIdyFz3
— James Uthmeier (@JamesUthmeierFL) August 8, 2026
Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington struck Cunningham from behind near the head and neck as the Indiana Fever guard drove toward the basket. Officials reviewed the play, classified it as a flagrant-2 foul and ejected Carrington for contact they deemed “unnecessary” and “excessive.”
I should probably clarify … assault and battery. https://t.co/EFQfdtFSAB
— James Uthmeier (@JamesUthmeierFL) August 9, 2026
The Fever won 90-86, but the postgame discussion quickly moved from basketball to race.
Carrington posted “WHITE PRIVILEGE” while tagging the Fever, apparently suggesting the punishment reflected racial bias. Cunningham was having none of it.
“Don’t play that card,” Cunningham said, noting that she had previously been ejected for a similar foul. She called Carrington’s hit unnecessary but said she held no personal grudge.
Fever coach Stephanie White also backed the officials while offering a more charitable assessment of Carrington, whom she previously coached.
“I don’t think there was anything malicious,” White said. “I think it was a hard foul.”
Fever coach Stephanie White defended DiJonai Carrington’s assault on Sophie Cunningham 💀
“She’s going to compete, no one’s going to walk in for an easy layup, so I don’t oppose the hard foul.” pic.twitter.com/iseSzm2e6y
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) August 9, 2026
Carrington, meanwhile, appeared ready for Round Two. She posted the date “8/23”—when the Fever and Sky meet again—along with popcorn and clock emojis.
The episode arrived as Cunningham remains under fire for saying transgender athletes should not compete in women’s sports. The WNBA recently announced that it would review its eligibility policy, while Uthmeier accused league officials of treating the definition of a woman as “complex and nuanced” instead of acknowledging what he called “the simple truth.”
Carrington’s foul was reckless, the ejection was justified, and yelling “white privilege” after the replay did not magically transform a blow to the head into clean defense. Sometimes a flagrant foul is simply a flagrant foul.
But criminal prosecution? Let’s keep one sneaker planted on Earth. Basketball already has referees, reviews, fines and suspensions. Unless a player turns the lane into a crime scene, the attorney general probably does not need to replace the officials at the scorer’s table.
DBS WIRE SOURCES
- Original report: Florida attorney general threatens charges after Cunningham is fouled — The Hill
- Fever coach defends Carrington while supporting her ejection — New York Post
- Carrington posts “white privilege” after flagrant-2 ejection — Reuters
- Carrington points toward an August 23 rematch — New York Post
- Cunningham stands by her position on transgender athletes — The Washington Post
