WNBA couple NaLyssa Smith and DiJonai Carrington unintentionally recreated a moment involving Caitlin Clark from this year’s playoffs during a live video where they were cooking in the kitchen.
During Game 1 of the Fever-Sun first-round playoff series, Carrington hit Clark in the eye while defending her. This incident sparked criticism, including from sportscaster Jason Whitlock, who questioned why WNBA players were allowed to have long nails.
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In the live video, while cooking, Smith accidentally poked Carrington in the eye. Carrington playfully asked if it was intentional.
Watch the video below:
After Game 1, Caitlin Clark mentioned the eye poke didn’t affect her performance, despite some bruising.
“Got me pretty good in the eye. I don’t think it affected me, honestly,” Clark told reporters after Game 1 (per Yahoo Sports). “I felt like I got good shots, they just didn’t go down. Obviously a tough time for that to happen.”
The WNBA rule book does not have specific regulations regarding nail length, but for flagrant fouls, the league commissioner can issue penalties or suspend a player.
Following the incident, Whitlock criticized Carrington and called for her suspension.
“Dijonai Carrington stabbed Caitlin Clark in the eye with a fingernail. It could’ve damaged the career of the WNBA’s meal ticket and the biggest American women’s sports star of all time. ESPN and the WNBA have yet to address this story. Carrington should be suspended,” he said.
However, a different camera angle showed that Carrington was focused on the ball when the eye poke occurred.
DiJonai Carrington hints at wanting NaLyssa Smith out of Indiana
Following the Sun’s 87-81 Game 2 victory that sealed the series win, Carrington shared a touching moment with Smith after the tense game. Though the series was competitive, the couple’s bond was evident. Carrington later expressed on X (formerly Twitter) her admiration for Smith and hinted that she’d like her to leave Indiana.
“10 toes down for you❤️🤞🏽 #FreeHer,” Carrington said.
Smith, who averaged 10.6 points and 7.1 rebounds during the regular season, struggled in the playoffs, going scoreless in both games. She played less than nine minutes in Game 1 and only four minutes in Game 2, after starting 37 of the Fever’s 40 regular season games.
Smith will head to China to play for Zhejiang in the WCBA for the 2024-25 season, which runs from October to April.
Smith and DiJonai Carrington have been together since 2020, when they were teammates at Baylor.
