Controversy Surrounds WNBA Players DiJonai Carrington and Sophie Cunningham

Boomer Esiason, a former NFL MVP, is known for his candid opinions on sports issues. His recent remarks about DiJonai Carrington’s claim of racism and her interaction with Sophie Cunningham in the WNBA are attracting attention.

During an August 8 game between the Chicago Sky and the Indiana Fever, Carrington committed a hard foul on Cunningham. The incident was significant, not only for the foul itself but also for the aftermath. Carrington took to social media, posting “WHITE PRIVILEGE,” alleging that her ejection was racially motivated due to her being a black woman and Cunningham a white woman.

Esiason addressed the situation on his radio show ‘Boomer and Gio,’ questioning the public reaction to Carrington’s statement. “She immediately posts about white privilege. How is everybody supposed to react to that?” Esiason asked his co-host Gregg Giannotti. Esiason referred to the foul as a “targeted attack,” a view shared by Giannotti, who said, “Clearly, and I think most people believe that.”

The foul was classified as a Flagrant 2 after video review, leading to Carrington’s ejection. The WNBA has yet to publicly comment on either the foul or Carrington’s social media post, despite multiple inquiries.

The controversy also connects to past comments by Cunningham. She had received backlash for her stance that women should not compete against biological men in sports. “I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans,” Cunningham told ESPN. “I extend love, but I want to protect young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”

A New York Times poll in March 2025 indicated that 79% of Americans think men should not compete in women’s sports.

Despite the controversy, Carrington returned to play and scored 26 points in a game against the Seattle Storm, although the Sky lost 97-88.

Mark Harris contributed to this article for OutKick.