Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington was ejected in the third quarter of Wednesday’s WNBA matchup against the Toronto Tempo after officials ruled she headbutted Tempo forward Nyara Sabally during a heated exchange under the basket.
The incident unfolded with just over four minutes remaining in the period. Sabally, battling for position on the low block, absorbed contact as Carrington contested a post move. Replays showed Carrington’s head making direct contact with Sabally’s face, sending the Tempo player stumbling backward. Officials immediately stopped play, reviewed the sequence, and assessed Carrington a flagrant-2 foul, resulting in automatic ejection.
Sabally remained in the game after a brief check by trainers and later scored key points in the fourth quarter to help seal Toronto’s victory. Carrington, who had contributed eight points and strong defensive energy off the bench before the ejection, exited without further incident but left the Sky short-handed for the remainder of the contest.
The foul intensified an already physical night between the two Eastern Conference sides. Both teams had traded hard screens and physical rebounding battles throughout the first half. Sky coach remarked postgame that while physical play is part of the league, “player safety has to come first,” and the officials made the correct call based on the video evidence. Tempo coach praised Sabally’s resilience, noting she “absorbed the contact and stayed focused.”
This marks another notable disciplinary moment involving Carrington this season, following a prior flagrant foul earlier in the year. League officials will review the play for possible further discipline, including a potential suspension or fine. Sabally finished with 18 points and nine rebounds in the win, while the Sky struggled to generate consistent offense after losing their defensive spark.
The ejection underscores ongoing discussions around physicality and player protection in the WNBA as the regular season intensifies. Both teams now turn their attention to upcoming road games, with Chicago looking to rebound and Toronto aiming to build on the hard-fought victory.
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