Connecticut Sun star DiJonai Carrington poked Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark in the eye during the WNBA playoffs.
Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark was poked in the eye by Connecticut Sun star DiJonai Carrington
Caitlin Clark played the first playoff game of her WNBA career. In a game where her Indiana Fever was pitted against arguably one of the best teams in the league, it was almost a David vs Goliath matchup. The Connecticut Sun did end up handing Clark her first playoff loss. However, the incident that took centerstage among fans was when archrival DiJonai Carrington poked the Rookie of the Year in the eye.
The incident happened in the first quarter of the game when Clark tried to throw an overhead pass to fellow All-Star Aliyah Boston. Carrington, the superstar defender she grew into, tried to knock the ball away. In that move, her right hand landed on Clark’s face. Clark instantly fell down to the floor, clutching her right eye and writhing in pain. Surprisingly, the officials did not blow a whistle, and the Sun continued to grab the rebound from Boston’s miss and throw a pass to Carrington to score on the other end.
Dijonai Carrington mocking Caitlin Clark 😂
She’s hilarious
#WNBA pic.twitter.com/5UIynmgRHg— TimeoutSPORTS__ (@TimeoutSPORTS3) June 10, 2024
Then, when Indiana Fever players saw their Rookie of the Year still on the ground, they ran to her assistance. The referees reviewed the replays while the 22-year-old sat on the bench with a visible black eye. However, the officials let the play continue without calling a foul, and the teams quickly resumed action.
Ryan Ruocco just called out the WNBA officiating twice this game, just the first quarter. First one was the wrong call on Aliyah Boston and now the non call after Caitlin Clark was hit in the eye. pic.twitter.com/DpEaiBrE1U
— Tanya (@ScriptedTanya) September 22, 2024
Cailin Clark ended up having one of her worst shooting nights as she went 2-13 from three. Her 11 points marked one of the lowest scores in her young WNBA career. She entered the game on a hot shooting streak, with everyone expecting her to keep it going. Instead, a much more experienced squad blew out the Indiana Fever.
Fans lose their minds as no foul was called for Caitlin Clark
Fans, led by Barstool Sports president Dave Portnoy, were livid that no foul had been called. They felt that the black eye impeded Caitlin Clark in her quest to win her first playoff game. In fact, the performance was so bad after that foul that it led to the blowout loss.
Portnoy and fans have since called out the league for letting such a play go unpunished. They want the league to get strict on players for sporting long nails during a game of basketball. The game does get physical. Had the injury been more serious, the rookie superstar could have ended her season early, at the least. Fans took to social media to voice their frustrations, examples of which are below;
Dirtbag play by DiJonai Carrington….I gave her the benefit of the doubt. She is a royal POS. That’s as UNNATURAL a move as I have ever seen in basketball. She flat eye gouged Caitlin Clark. Clark should be pressing charges on this garbage! Disgraceful!pic.twitter.com/tD1wPcRDgh
— Come On, Now! The Podcast (@ComeOnNowPod) September 23, 2024
Why does the @WNBA let players wear gigantic nails if they use them as weapons? We’re lucky CC didn’t lose an eye here.
(Reminder no foul called and Caitlin played with 1 eye the rest of game and had her worst shooting performance in months after this) https://t.co/557Fje1UQm
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) September 23, 2024
🚨Video evidence suggests Dijonai Carrington may have intentionally hit Caitlin Clark early in the first quarter of the Sun v. Fever playoff game, resulting in a black eye.
No foul was called. The #WNBA needs to investigate immediately. Does this look unintentional to you? pic.twitter.com/ue2Sf03e9O
— The Boston Post (@ABostonPost) September 23, 2024
Y’all can tell me this was an accident, but ain’t no way this wasn’t intentional eye gouge on Caitlin Clark..
Wild the #WNBA didn’t even bother to call a foul either. https://t.co/bRtH0jUjnU— B² (@IceIceBrand0n) September 23, 2024
This eye-poke has some laser like, purposeful trajectory. You can say she’s “flailing”… but come on, that’s a quick, fingers straight, rigid, forward jut. That’s Moe Howard level.
That’s what I see anyway. Maybe that’s part of the game?#DijonaiCarrington #CaitlinClark #WNBA https://t.co/0CAq12QHZD
— Jethro Gibbs (@jethrosleuthy) September 23, 2024
@WNBA @CathyEngelbert you need to step in here. This is inexcusable!
— Dogfood Bill (@dogfoodbill) September 23, 2024
Attempted blinding should have repercussions.
— Steven Hoagland (@StevenHoagland) September 23, 2024
These refs need to be fired.
Caitlin Clark will have two days to rest her eye before she plays her second playoff game. The Indiana Fever will look to figure out ways to play past the stingy Connecticut Sun defense. The rookie will also try to find ways to play well against archrival DiJonai Carrington.
