Event
Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White issued a statement rejecting criticism that she failed to support guard Sophie Cunningham following a flagrant foul by Chicago Sky's DiJonai Carrington. White asserted she "will always stand by" her players, dismissing online narratives and addressing backlash that included calls for her dismissal and booing during a game against the New York Liberty. Fever president Kelly Krauskopf publicly backed White, citing her leadership during a period of intense scrutiny.
2 published stories · wnba · source reliability 67%
Stephanie White asserts she will always defend her players, dismissing online narratives following backlash over Sophie Cunningham’s ejection-inducing foul.
Background
Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White issued a strong defence of her players ahead of the team’s match against the New York Liberty, rejecting online criticism following a flagrant foul committed by DiJonai Carrington on Sophie Cunningham. While White initially suggested the foul was not intentional, she later reviewed replays and described the incident as “egregious.” Team president Kelly Krauskopf expressed full support for White, who emphasised that hate and divisiveness would not prevail. The controversy follows Carrington’s ejection from a previous game against the Chicago Sky and a subsequently deleted social media post referencing “white privilege,” which Carrington declined to explain. The Fever currently sit fifth in the standings with a 20-12 record.
Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White issued a strong defence of her players ahead of the team’s match against the New York Liberty, rejecting online criticism following a flagrant foul committed by DiJonai Carrington on Sophie Cunningham. While White initially suggested the f
Fact cards
Key entities: Stephanie White, Sophie Cunningham, DiJonai Carrington, Indiana Fever, Chicago Sky, Kelly Krauskopf, WNBA.
ESPN | https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/49586227/fever-white-rips-critics-says-always-stand-players | published 2026-08-12T01:36:34.000Z | primary source | CBS Sports | https://www.cbssports.com/wnba/news/stephanie-white-fever-coach-sophie-cunningham-dijonai-carrington-foul-c
2026-08-08 (Saturday): DiJonai Carrington commits a flagrant two foul on Sophie Cunningham during Indiana’s win over the Chicago Sky, resulting in Carrington’s ejection. 2026-08-08 (Saturday): Carrington posts “WHITE PRIVILEGE” on social media, tagging the Fever account; the post
Timeline
DiJonai Carrington commits a flagrant two foul on Sophie Cunningham during Indiana’s win over the Chicago Sky, resulting in Carrington’s ejection.
Carrington posts “WHITE PRIVILEGE” on social media, tagging the Fever account; the post is later deleted.
Stephanie White makes initial post-game comments stating she did not believe the foul was intentional.
White reviews replays, describes the foul as “egregious,” and delivers an impassioned statement defending her players ahead of the New York Liberty game.
Fever president Kelly Krauskopf issues a statement of full support for White.