Watch: Caitlin Clark Hides Face in Her Hands as Own Coach Defends Ejected Player Who Nailed Sophie Cunningham
The article discusses an incident during a WNBA game between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever, where Fever player Sophie Cunningham was clotheslined in a foul by DiJonai Carrington, resulting in Carrington’s ejection for a Flagrant 2 foul. The footage shows Carrington striking Cunningham with her forearm during a layup attempt, an action considered excessive and unneeded according to ESPN. Fever head coach stephanie White defended Carrington’s actions, suggesting it was a hard foul rather than an intentional attack, which drew criticism from other players like Caitlin Clark and social media users. Additionally, White’s past remarks about transgender athletes and her lack of scientific expertise on the topic have drawn scrutiny, with accusations that her defence of Carrington may be influenced by broader social pressures. Carrington’s social media responses, including posting “WHITE PRIVILEGE,” indicate tension and controversy surrounding the incident and the broader issues of conduct, sportsmanship, and ideological debates within women’s sports.
Saturday’s game between the Chicago Sky and the Indiana Fever at the United Center saw Fever player Sophie Cunningham get clotheslined to the face in a foul so egregious that the offending player, DiJonai Carrington, was ejected from the game.
The footage is nothing short of outrageous — Cunningham goes for a layup only to get a forearm to the face by Carrington.
Carrington was given a Flagrant 2 for her actions which ESPN explains results in disqualification because of contact with another player that is “unnecessary and excessive.”
Fever head coach Stephanie White had a chance to defend Cunningham when asked about the foul in a post-game interview, but her answer was so excusatory for Carrington that one of Cunningham’s teammates, and a star player in her own right, Caitlin Clark, simply sank her hands into her face, hiding her expression.
Look at @StephanieWhite completely go out of her way to defend DiJonai Carrington after she clotheslined Sophie during that layup.
Even the ABC commentators said it was clearly an intentional Flagrant 2. But Steph is defending the DiJonai because she taught her and AT to do this pic.twitter.com/nxH05NlpVg
— #Caitlin4MVP (@WNBA_Analyst) August 9, 2026
“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,” White told reporters.
Clark did not seem thrilled with that answer, and Cunningham likely won’t be either, but this is not the first instance of a rift between Cunningham and White.
After a profile by ESPN was published on Cunningham last month in which she defended young female athletes from having to compete against self-proclaimed transgender athletes, White was asked about her view on the matter by reporters.
“I don’t know that I would say that I’m educated enough from a scientific standpoint. I don’t ever believe that exclusion is an answer,” White said in the moment.
“I do think when we think about various levels of sport, various governing bodies of sport, and things that go into that — like I said, I’m not educated enough at the different levels.”
Instead of defending Cunningham and denouncing transgender ideology in sports, she claimed ignorance of basic biology.
Is it really surprising then that she is okay with Cunningham being clobbered?
White is clearly feeling pressure over her player’s remarks.
Cunningham — for having common sense — is taking heat from leftist ideologues.
White does not want the mob after her.
From Clark’s reaction, she knows this isn’t how a coach should address the situation.
To note, White and Carrington have history, with White coaching her on the Connecticut Sun in 2023 and 2024, as the New York Post reported, but that doesn’t mean she should let one of her current players get attacked and downplay the incident.
Carrington herself did not believe she was in the wrong, posting the phrase “WHITE PRIVILEGE” on social media while tagging the Fever after being ejected.
Clark and Cunningham are the reason the WNBA has the viewership it does, but the other players and coaches do not seem grateful for it.
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