Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White raised eyebrows after Saturday's 90-86 win over the Chicago Sky when she pushed back on Cunningham's assertion that DiJonai Carrington intentionally leveled her during a first-quarter drive to the basket.CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGECarrington chased Cunningham down from behind as the Fever guard went up for a layup and caught her across the head and neck area, sending Cunningham crashing to the floor.Officials reviewed the play, upgraded it to a Flagrant 2 and ejected Carrington.Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington commits a flagrant 2 foul against Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham.
(Kamil Krzaczynski/Imagn Images)Cunningham had no trouble saying exactly what she thought happened."Clearly, I think it was like unnecessary.I've never really spoken to her and have no beef with her, but I guess she has some pent up stuff.
So get your s— off.That's fine.
I can take it ...Yeah, it's intentional," Cunningham said after the game.Her coach didn't see it that way."Yeah, I mean, look, it was a hard foul.
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," White said.Sophie Cunningham of the Indiana Fever talks with head coach Stephanie White during the first half against the Chicago Sky at the United Center on July 27, 2025, in Chicago, Ill.
(Michael Reaves/Getty Images)Then she went a step further."But you know, one of the things about Nay is that she's gonna play her butt off, man.She's gonna compete.
Nobody's gonna go walking in for a layup.And so, I don't oppose the hard foul.
But I also don't think that she intentionally went for the neck."That's an awfully generous interpretation of the play that got Carrington thrown out of the game.SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM SPEAKS OUT AGAINST DIJONAI CARRINGTON AFTER FLAGRANT FOUL AND 'WHITE PRIVILEGE' POSTMaybe White was simply trying to keep an already-heated situation from escalating....