3 weeks ago
Uthmeier Slams Carrington's Flagrant Foul on Sophie Cunningham
Two women's basketball teams, the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky, were playing a game on Saturday.
A Chicago Sky player named DiJonai Carrington swung her arm hard and hit Fever player Sophie Cunningham across her upper body and neck.
The referees said it was a very bad foul — a "Flagrant 2" — and sent Carrington out of the game.
Many people who watched said it looked like one of the most dangerous plays of the year.
Afterward, Carrington posted online about "white privilege," which made the conversation about more than just basketball.
The top lawyer in Florida, James Uthmeier, posted that he would charge people with assault if the WNBA brought games like this to his state.
Florida hasn't had a WNBA team for more than twenty years, since teams like the Orlando Miracle and Miami Sol shut down or moved away.
The WNBA can still punish Carrington more, like with a suspension or a fine, but it hasn't announced anything yet.
Chicago Sky's DiJonai Carrington was assessed a Flagrant 2 foul and ejected for a clothesline-style hit on Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier posted on X that he would "be charging people with assault" in reference to the play.
Carrington later posted comments linking the situation to "white privilege," intensifying debate over race, physicality, and star power in the WNBA.
Florida has been without a WNBA team for more than two decades since the Orlando Miracle and Miami Sol folded or relocated in the early 2000s.
League officials had not announced further punishment, though Flagrant 2 fouls typically trigger review for a possible suspension or fine.
- Who
- Chicago Sky player DiJonai Carrington, who was ejected, and Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, who was hit; Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier also responded publicly.
- What
- Carrington received a Flagrant 2 foul and was ejected for a clothesline-style hit on Cunningham, prompting reactions including Uthmeier's X post threatening assault charges.
- Where
- The exact venue was not stated; the related political reaction came from Florida, where Uthmeier posted about the league.
- When
- Saturday, during the current WNBA season.
- Why
- The dangerous-looking nature of the foul and Carrington's "white privilege" post pulled the incident into broader discussions about race, physicality, and star power in the WNBA.
Officials and Foul Critics
League Process and Defenders of Physicality
Severity of the foul
Officials and Foul Critics
The clothesline-style hit to Cunningham's upper body and neck was one of the most dangerous-looking plays of the year and fully justified the Flagrant 2 ejection.
League Process and Defenders of Physicality
Hard fouls happen in the WNBA and physicality is part of the game, so the play should not be treated like an assault rather than an in-game foul.
Race and "white privilege" commentary
Officials and Foul Critics
Carrington's post linking the situation to "white privilege" reflects a legitimate debate about race, physicality, and star power in the league, where Caitlin Clark has been central this season.
League Process and Defenders of Physicality
Injecting race into an on-court incident is inflammatory and distracts from the play itself; such public statements could factor into WNBA supplemental discipline for escalating tension.
Attorney General's response
Officials and Foul Critics
Uthmeier's office has no formal role in league discipline, and threatening criminal charges over a sports foul is grandstanding and an overreach.
League Process and Defenders of Physicality
Uthmeier's warning to the league about bringing games to Florida highlighted public concern over dangerous plays and called attention to the incident's severity.
Key facts
- Teams
- Indiana Fever vs. Chicago Sky
- Players involved
- DiJonai Carrington (Sky) and Sophie Cunningham (Fever)
- Call
- Flagrant 2 foul; Carrington ejected
- Date
- Saturday, current WNBA season
- League status
- No further punishment announced; Flagrant 2 fouls typically trigger review
- Florida AG comment
- Threatened to charge people with assault in an X post
- Florida WNBA history
- No team for 20+ years; Orlando Miracle (1999-2002), Miami Sol (2000-2002)
Quotes
James Uthmeier
Florida Attorney General
“"The WNBA knows better than to play games down here in Florida, because I’ll be charging people with assault."”
livemint.com
Sources
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