Florida’s top law officer warned WNBA players that a flagrant hit like DiJonai Carrington’s could draw assault charges if it happens in his state.
Story Snapshot
- Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said he would charge assault for similar on-court conduct in Florida.
- Officials ruled Carrington’s hit on Sophie Cunningham a Flagrant 2 and ejected her from the game.
- Multiple outlets reproduced Uthmeier’s exact warning, confirming it was public and explicit.
- No formal case has been filed; the warning outlines a Florida-specific enforcement stance.
AG Uthmeier’s Public Warning To The League
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier posted that “the WNBA knows better than to play games down here in Florida, because I’ll be charging people with assault,” after DiJonai Carrington’s foul on Indiana’s Sophie Cunningham drew outrage online. The post spelled out a Florida-only warning tied to venue and jurisdiction. It told the league and players that conduct crossing the line would face state law, not just league penalties, if it occurred on Florida courts.
News sites and aggregators repeated the same quote, which shows the warning was not a rumor or paraphrase. Screenshots and reposts on major platforms spread the message quickly to fans and players. The signal was clear: Florida leaders will not look the other way when contact looks more like a blow than a basketball play. The statement also fit Uthmeier’s pattern of using public messages to set enforcement lines for misconduct.
The Foul That Sparked The Firestorm
Officials gave Carrington a Flagrant 2 for a high hit on Cunningham and ejected her. Video clips showed what commentators called a clothesline-style blow to the neck area. The in-game ruling recognized the danger of the contact under league rules. Reporters noted the expulsion in real time, which became the basis for the legal talk that followed. The WNBA’s standard process starts with officiating and discipline before any outside legal steps are considered.
Coverage framed the play as severe and out of bounds for safe competition. That framing helped push the debate from sports talk into legal talk. Still, a flagrant call is not the same as proving a crime. Courts use different standards than referees do. The foul ruling explains why people are alarmed. It does not, by itself, meet the elements of assault under any state’s criminal code.
Where Sports Rules End And Criminal Law Begins
Sports incidents often move through three layers: the in-game call, league discipline, and, in rare cases, civil or criminal action. Commentators sometimes blur those steps in the rush to react. Florida’s warning put the focus on the third layer and said some hits may be crimes if they happen in Florida. The message aimed to deter dangerous play and to back athletes’ safety with state law when league rules are not enough.
It’s good to see someone has the
stones to stand up for what is right.Florida's attorney general responds to the vicious foul Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham took during her team's game against the Chicago Sky:
"The WNBA knows better than to play games down here in… pic.twitter.com/hgczkR4Ohc
— Farm Girl Carrie 👩🌾 (@FarmGirlCarrie) August 9, 2026
There is no known arrest, charge, or filing tied to this incident. The statements outlined a posture, not a case. Reports do not include a Florida statute citation or a formal legal memo explaining how a sports foul would meet assault elements. That gap matters for prosecutors and defense lawyers, but it does not change that the attorney general publicly drew a red line for conduct on Florida courts.
Why This Matters To Florida And To Fans
Florida leaders say they will protect athletes from blows that look nothing like a basketball play. Fans want action when safety gives way to cheap shots. Uthmeier’s warning reflects a tougher stance that many conservatives support: clear rules, real accountability, and law that backs up common sense. His office has used public pressure and probes before to set boundaries in other disputes, which adds weight to this message for teams and leagues considering games in the state.
What To Watch Next
Watch for any Florida follow-up, such as outreach to local prosecutors or event venues. Look for league reviews, referee reports, or added discipline that might change the risk calculus. If a similar hit happens in Florida, the next steps could test where “part of the game” ends and criminal law begins. Until then, the message stands: players are on notice that Florida will not excuse violent contact simply because it happened during a game.
Sources:
townhall.com, yardbarker.com, facebook.com
