DiJonai Carrington ejected after Flagrant 2 foul on Sophie Cunningham

DiJonai Carrington was ejected from Chicago’s Aug. 8 game against Indiana after officials upgraded her first-quarter foul on Sophie Cunningham to a Flagrant 2 following a review.

Cunningham, the Indiana Fever guard, was racing in for a breakaway layup when Carrington’s left arm made contact with her face and neck area, according to ESPN. Cunningham fell to the floor on the play.

Why was DiJonai Carrington ejected?

The call was originally a Flagrant 1. After reviewing the sequence, officials changed it to a Flagrant 2, which brought Carrington’s ejection, ESPN and USA Today reported.

In announcing the decision, an official cited a windup and follow-through, a high potential for injury and Cunningham being in a vulnerable position, ESPN reported. The ruling addressed the contact on that play; the supplied reports do not establish Carrington’s intent, an injury to Cunningham or any later league discipline.

The moment did not end at the whistle. Cunningham got up and confronted Carrington, with players, staff and security stepping in to separate them, according to ESPN. USA Today reported that the two players grabbed each other and exchanged words, while Cunningham was restrained by a Fever staff member and teammate Makayla Timpson.

Carrington, a Chicago Sky forward, had eight points on 3-for-3 shooting when she was thrown out, USA Today reported. CBS Sports also reported that she had scored eight points in four minutes off the bench.

After leaving the court, Carrington posted, “WHITE PRIVILEGE @indianafever,” on Threads, according to USA Today. The post’s wording is the full reaction reported in the available accounts.

The incident came in the first quarter of the Sky-Fever game, with USA Today placing it at about two minutes remaining in the period. The reports agree that the review changed the foul classification and ended Carrington’s afternoon early.

This story draws on original reporting from CBS Sports.