DiJonai Carrington Calls Lynx Announcer 'Shady' for Turnover Joke
On August 3, news broke that the Dallas Wings traded standout guard and 2024 WNBA Most Improved Player DiJonai Carrington to the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for third-year forward Diamond Miller, seventh-year guard Karlie Samuelson, and the Wings' second-round pick of the 2027 WNBA Draft.
While the Lynx were already WNBA championship favorites this season, adding Carrington to their roster increased the team's backcourt depth and added another elite defender on the wing. It also added a level of grit and tenacity to Minnesota's roster that one could argue was previously lacking.
Carrington is a polarizing figure in the women's basketball community. While she's adored by many, her outspokenness on several matters (especially on social media) has soured some fans to her.
DiJonai Carrington Expresses Anger Over Lynx Announcer's Quip After Turnover
The Lynx faced Carrington's former Dallas Wings team on September 1, and secured an easy 96-71 victory. Carrington played 10 minutes before suffering a shoulder injury that kept her out for the game's remainder.
However, during those 10 minutes, she made a bad pass that resulted in a turnover, shortly after losing a contact lens in her eye.
As this turnover happened, a member of the Lynx's broadcast team (presumably play-by-play announcer Marney Gellner) said, "[Carrington] is on the court, and I don't know if that contact is in, or not. But Carrington is gonna play."
Carrington then passed the ball where no Lynx player was, which created a turnover.
"And it must be out. The contact must be out, cause there was no teammate there," Gellner then said after Carrington's bad pass.
Announcer wrong for this LMAOOOO https://t.co/bVPtKkm09F pic.twitter.com/uNialvAhJi
— Shabazz 💫 (@ShowCaseShabazz) September 2, 2025
While most on social media found this lighthearted joke funny, it clearly rubbed Carrington the wrong way. She made an X post soon after the game ended that read, "home announcers being shady is crazy work, can’t lie. anyways, pray for me yall🙏🏽".
home announcers being shady is crazy work, can’t lie. anyways, pray for me yall🙏🏽
— dιjonaι carrιngтon♛ (@DijonaiVictoria) September 2, 2025
Carrington didn't find the joke funny.
DiJonai Carrington's Shoulder Injury
Carrington only played 10 minutes on Monday because she suffered a shoulder injury. Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve spoke with the media after the game ended, and when asked about this injury, said, “Nai has a sub-flex shoulder. She told me she played defense too hard. And I think when she slapped down at the ball, it kind of sub-flexed a little bit.
"I don't have an update. I just know this is something she deals with... But I don't know where we're at with things," she added, per an X post from Andrew Dukowitz.
Cheryl Reeve gives a injury update on DiJonai Carrington
— Andrew Dukowitz (@adukeMN) September 2, 2025
“Nai has a sub flex shoulder(partial dislocation), she told me she played defense to hard, I think when she slapped down at the ball it kind of sub flexed a little bit… I just know this is something she deals with” pic.twitter.com/slNDhoh4Pk
This sub-flex (partial dislocation) of her shoulder is surely why Carrington asked for prayers in her X post.
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Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.
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