NaLyssa Smith sums up girlfriend DiJonai Carrington's no-nonsense reaction to hard foul in 3 words

DiJonai Carrington drew attention during the Dallas Wings’ season opener against the Minnesota Lynx on May 22, getting hit with a Flagrant 1 foul after contesting Jessica Shepard’s shot from behind. The Wings fell short, losing 85–81.

After the foul, Wings rookie Paige Bueckers shared a screenshot capturing Carrington’s unbothered reaction when Lynx players confronted her. Carrington’s girlfriend and teammate NaLyssa Smith added her take on her Instagram Stories, describing her girlfriend:

“Neva been sweet.”

NaLyssa Smith sums up girlfriend DiJonai Carrington's no-nonsense reaction in 3 words

Carrington and Smith both started that game, combining for 19 points and nine boards.

Through five games, Carrington has emerged as a key piece for the Wings, averaging 10.2 points per outing. Smith is contributing 8.2 ppg and 4.0 rebounds per game.

Despite their efforts, the Wings have stumbled early in the season, only picking up a win against the Connecticut Sun — DiJonai Carrington’s former team. In her return, Carrington dropped 16 points, while UConn alum Paige Bueckers posted a game-high 21 points along with seven assists and five rebounds.

DiJonai Carrington discusses return to Connecticut

DiJonai Carrington, who was traded from the Connecticut Sun to the Dallas Wings in February as part of a four-team deal also involving the Mercury and Dream, faced her former squad for the first time Tuesday. The reception, she said, meant a lot.

On Tuesday, she played against Sun for the first time as an opponent, and she said she still felt love from the fans.

“It felt great, (Connecticut fans) always showed love the whole time I was here,” Carrington said (per MassLive). “It was nice to know that I left an impact here.

“It was nice to see even familiar faces in the crowd... seeing people still in my jersey out here, even though I’m on a different team, it was nice to see (and) very heartwarming (with) the video and everything, I appreciate Connecticut too, to take the time to do that.”

Carrington earned the WNBA’s Most Improved Player award in her final season with the Sun in 2024. Up next, the Wings face the struggling Chicago Sky in back-to-back games on Thursday and Saturday.

About the author

John Ezekiel Hirro is an experienced NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda, with over five years in the field as a news correspondent, sports writer, and Editor-in-Chief. His sports writing career began in high school, where he garnered numerous accolades, including being named the national sports writing champion in 2016.

He earned his journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines in 2024 and served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Varsitarian, the university's official student publication, for four years—the longest in history.

A passionate basketball enthusiast, he became a fan of the OKC Thunder during the Russ-KD-Harden era. Russell Westbrook, his all-time favorite athlete, impressed him by stepping up as MVP after Kevin Durant's departure. His current favorite players include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, who he believes are the future of the OKC franchise.

He excels in game analysis and rapid news story turnaround, drawing inspiration from the journalistic styles of Woj and Shams. He emphasizes thorough research to ensure accuracy in his articles. One of his most memorable moments is Russell Westbrook breaking Oscar Robertson's record with his 42nd triple-double and securing a 106-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Outside of writing, he enjoys listening to music and creating Spotify playlists.

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Edited by John Ezekiel Hirro