Two days before winning the 2024 Most Improved Player award, DiJonai Carrington made headlines for all the wrong reasons. Within 90 seconds of Game 1 of the Connecticut Sun’s first-round matchup against the Indiana Fever, she accidentally gave fan-favorite Caitlin Clark a black eye. The foul went uncalled, but fans on social media went crazy as they blamed Carrington for intentionally hurting the best rival player. To add to it, a clip from Game 2 tonight is making the rounds on X.

After Carrington poked Clark’s right eye in Game 1, the Fever rookie recorded one of the worst games of her season, shooting only 4-of-17 from the field. Despite that, she accepted the blame for her poor performance in Indiana’s 67-93 loss. “It didn’t feel good when it (eye injury) happened, but I don’t think it affected me,” she said post-game. Moreover, she bounced back very quickly in Game 2, scoring a game-high 25 points, albeit in a losing cause.

However, Carrington’s fierce rivalry with Clark continued today as Connecticut knocked out Indiana from the playoffs with a close 81-87 game. In a new clip shared on X, Carrington can be seen mouthing something to Clark as she comes off the sidelines. However, all that the Rookie of the Year gives in return is complete silence. Not even eye contact.

Carrington’s showy rivalry against Clark began during their regular season matchups. The Sun Guard mocking her Indiana counterpart and frequently exchanging words seemed like a norm during the games. However, their dignified responses to questions about the eye-poking incident indicate all is well between them when the adrenaline isn’t pumping.

Caitlin Clark & DiJonai Carrington join forces to rubbish claims of an intentional foul

Big names from the media side of the basketball world spoke out about DiJonai Carrington’s allegedly intentional foul Caitlin Clark. While Barstool Sports owner Dave Portnoy questioned the quality of the WNBA refereeing, analyst Jason Whitlock shockingly labeled the Sun Guard a “deranged bigot.” However, the two players involved had no enmity off the court.

When Clark was asked about the nature of Carrington’s block attempt, she laughed it off, saying, “It wasn’t intentional by any means. You can just watch the play.” Carrington, one of the best defenders in the WNBA, similarly defended herself when a reporter posed a similar question during a practice session. “I don’t even know why I would intend to hit anybody in the eye. It doesn’t even make sense to me,” the Baylor alum emphasized. “But no, I didn’t. I didn’t know I hit her, actually. I was trying to make a play on the ball.”

When two fierce ball players go head-to-head, the possibility of such unexpected injuries naturally becomes higher. While Carrington averaged a career-high 12.7 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 2024, Clark’s record-breaking spree with averages of 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 8.4 assists put on a jaw-dropping show for fans.

Unfortunately, only one team could advance to the second round of the playoffs and the Connecticut Sun did so dominantly. After all, they have been the best defensive team all year, with a rating of 94.1. But maybe in a parallel universe, the arch-rivals might’ve competed peacefully.