SEATTLE — Sky coach Tyler Marsh said the focus coming out of the Fever game — which included DiJonai Carrington’s flagrant foul 2 on Sophie Cunningham and subsequent “WHITE PRIVILEGE” social media post tagging the Fever — remains on basketball.
“I’ve spoken to DiJonai, obviously,” Marsh said. “She knows where I and we are … for her individually and for our team.”
When asked whether he thought the flagrant 2 designation was unfair, Marsh returned to the calls for consistency in officiating he has made throughout the season.
“I think that when we talk about consistency and officiating, it’s all parts,” he said. “I think there are other fouls that may have been similar that didn’t result in a flagrant 2. If one does, then all of them should.”
After the game, officials said the criteria for a flagrant 2 was met “since the contact was deemed unnecessary and excessive to a player in a vulnerable position.” They cited the “windup, impact, follow-through and high potential for injury” at the time of the foul.
Marsh acknowledged that losing Carrington to the ejection took the wind out of the Sky’s sails in what became a four-point loss, but reiterated that he did not believe the foul was intentional.
“I think the intent was to make an attempt on the ball,” Marsh said. “That’s how she plays. That’s who she is. She’s passionate. She’s hard-nosed. It’s unfortunate that’s what happened, but I don’t think that was what her intent was.
“She wanted to be out there for our team. At the end of the day, there’s a lot that has come out of it. There’s a lot of vitriol at DiJonai’s expense. There’s a lot that she has to deal with as well. When we talk about protecting players, it should be every player.”
Marsh did not say whether he was disappointed that Carrington posted on social media after her ejection, instead acknowledging the power of social media and how quickly people can run with narratives that suit them.
“I don’t think it calls for a matter of policing our players,” Marsh said. “But I think everyone is aware of what can arise from that. I think DiJonai knows how we feel.”
Marsh has been critical of officiating throughout the season, particularly what he views as a lack of consistency and accountability. Asked whether racism and unconscious bias need to be addressed in officiating, he said that was for the league to determine.
“I think it would be ignorant to think that it doesn’t play a part in the grand scheme of society,” Marsh said. “But I don’t think it influences calls that happen with officiating.”
Carrington was not made available to reporters after the Fever game. But on Monday she responded online to YouTube host Emmanuel Acho, who argued that the foul call was not “white privilege.”
“I’ve never once claimed that the assessment of the foul was white privilege (that was your assumption). Try exercising your critical thinking skills, I know you studied psych,” Carrington wrote.
“Furthermore, I’m the LAST thing from ignorant or asinine when it comes to speaking ‘white privilege.’ Do ya research of that. I actually went to school, one of the top universities might I add, to educate myself on this exact subject. I would never use that term as a rhetorical weapon knowing the historical and social weight it holds without having the proper evidence to substantiate it.”
The WNBA did not respond to a request for comment.
Latest on the Sky and WNBA
