The Indiana Fever secured a 90-86 victory over the Chicago Sky this past Saturday, but the contest was marred by a controversial first-quarter incident involving Sky guard DiJonai Carrington and Fever player Sophie Cunningham. Following a hard foul on Cunningham, officials reviewed the play and upgraded the penalty to a Flagrant 2, resulting in an automatic ejection for Carrington.
Shortly after leaving the court, Carrington sparked further tension by posting “WHITE PRIVILEGE @indianafever” on the social platform Threads. As the post gained traction, a video surfaced on Instagram claiming to show Cunningham “ripping into” Carrington. The clip featured a voiceover calling Carrington the “dirtiest player who learned from Angel Reese,” while also making disparaging remarks about the player’s jealousy regarding Cunningham’s hair and accusing her of turning the incident into a racial issue.
The viral video has since been confirmed as a fabrication. Analysis of the footage reveals that it utilizes old clips of Cunningham paired with a synthesized AI voice, with the audio failing to sync properly with her lip movements. The video appears to be a calculated attempt to generate engagement through misinformation, as Cunningham has no history of making such inflammatory public statements.
In reality, Cunningham addressed the situation during her postgame media availability with a more measured, albeit critical, tone. She characterized the hard foul as an intentional act that was entirely unnecessary, describing Carrington’s subsequent social media behavior as a blatant attempt to seek attention.
Statistically, the game saw Carrington contribute eight points before her early exit, while Cunningham recorded three points and two steals. The Indiana Fever are now preparing for their next matchup on Tuesday, where they will host the New York Liberty at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, aiming to build on their recent momentum.
Following a review, officials upgraded the penalty from a Flagrant 1 to a Flagrant 2, triggering an automatic ejection for Carrington.
Indiana will look to maintain its momentum on Tuesday when hosting the New York Liberty, with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
She definitely learned well from Angel Reese… I think she’s jealous of my natural blonde hair.
I literally got clothes lined in the air, and this clown has to turn it into race.”
It is no secret that fake videos of players like Cunningham can be used to generate clicks and views.
That appears to be what happened here.
Cunningham does not have a history of tearing down her rivals this way.
Moreover, her lips in the clip do not properly match the words, while the voice sounds noticeably robotic.
