The WNBA's latest on-court feud has taken another twist, and this time a familiar face from the broadcast booth is weighing in with a hot take that's turning heads.
Cindy Brunson, a longtime SportsCenter anchor, is doubling down on her belief that the league's referees botched the call during Saturday's heated matchup between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky. The incident in question? A hard foul by Sky guard DiJonai Carrington on Fever's Sophie Cunningham that left Cunningham with a bloody mouth and Carrington with an early exit.
Carrington was initially hit with a Flagrant 1, but after review, officials upgraded it to a Flagrant 2 and tossed her from the game. The league could tack on further discipline. But Brunson isn't having any of it. She took to Threads to voice her disagreement, insisting Carrington got a raw deal.
"I'm team (DiJonai) all day every day and at most that should've been a Flagrant 1 and not an ejection," Brunson wrote. "(Cunningham) also should've been tossed via a Flagrant 2." She went on to suggest that "we know" who the real aggressor was, implying Cunningham was the one who deserved the boot.
Brunson's comments have ignited a firestorm among fans, with many pointing out that Cunningham was the one bleeding. Some have even accused Brunson of bias, given her history of defending Carrington. The debate echoes the growing calls for Carrington's suspension from other corners of the basketball world.
For her part, Cunningham isn't backing down. She told reporters after the game that she believes the officials handled it correctly. "Clearly, I think it was like unnecessary," she said. "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 (expletive) off. That's fine. I can take it."
Carrington, meanwhile, has accused the league of "white privilege" in the aftermath, a claim Cunningham swiftly rejected. "This has nothing to do with race. Last year, I did the same thing and I got kicked out. And I deserved to be kicked out. There's no reason even to play that card," Cunningham said.
The Fever forward is no stranger to controversy, having recently criticized WNBA media coverage and sparked debate over her stance on women's sports. She seems to be taking the latest drama in stride, joking, "Another day, another dollar. Welcome to my life, boys and girls."
"I wasn't even upset. I mean, I popped up. I'm not going to let anyone just do that to me. I think everyone knows that. I think that's why she did it because she wants attention," Cunningham added, suggesting Carrington's motives were less about basketball and more about grabbing headlines.
As the WNBA weighs potential disciplinary action, the debate over who was the real instigator rages on. Brunson's take has certainly added fuel to the fire, but whether it changes the league's decision remains to be seen. One thing's for sure: this rivalry isn't cooling down anytime soon.
