Fever Coach White Defends Carrington Despite Flagrant Ejection for Hit on Teammate Cunningham

Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White drew criticism after Saturday’s 90-86 victory over the Chicago Sky by defending guard DiJonai Carrington, who was ejected for a flagrant foul against her own teammate Sophie Cunningham during the first quarter. Carrington chased down Cunningham from behind as the guard attempted a layup, striking her across the head and neck area and sending her to the floor. Officials escalated the flagrant foul designation to a Flagrant 2, resulting in Carrington’s immediate ejection from the game.

Cunningham did not mince words about the incident immediately after the game, calling the contact both unnecessary and intentional. “Yeah, it’s intentional,” Cunningham stated, suggesting that Carrington harbored unresolved frustration toward her. White, however, offered a more measured assessment during her postgame remarks, acknowledging the hard foul but stopping short of agreeing it was deliberate.

White went further in her defense, characterizing Carrington’s aggressive style as an inherent part of her competitive nature. “She’s gonna play her butt off, man. She’s gonna compete. Nobody’s gonna go walking in for a layup,” White said, adding that while she did not oppose hard fouls, she believed Carrington had not intentionally targeted Cunningham’s neck. The explanation raised questions about whether White’s prior coaching relationship with Carrington—the two spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons together with the Connecticut Sun—influenced her perspective.

Cunningham further emphasized that Carrington’s actions appeared motivated by a desire for attention, noting that the Fever receive significant national television coverage. She dismissed any racial undertones, referencing her own ejection from a similar incident the previous season. Carrington subsequently posted “White Privilege” on the social media platform Threads while tagging the Fever organization, though she provided no clarification regarding the intended target of her message.

White declined to address Carrington’s social media post during her remarks. The coach’s measured defense of her former player stood in contrast to Cunningham’s expectation of clearer support from her own sideline.