The WNBA, a league heralded for its rapid growth and rising young stars, now finds itself at the center of a growing controversy that threatens its credibility and the safety of its athletes. At the heart of the storm is Dallas Wings guard DJ Carrington, whose increasingly dangerous style of play has raised questions about player conduct, league oversight, and the wellbeing of one of its brightest stars: rookie phenom Paige Bueckers.

Carrington’s aggressive, at times reckless, play has become more than a one-off concern—it is now a disturbing pattern. This season alone, Carrington has been involved in multiple on-court incidents that fans, analysts, and even commentators have described as “dirty,” “violent,” and “career-threatening.” Yet, despite mounting evidence, the league’s response has been shockingly muted.

Paige Bueckers: A Promising Career in Jeopardy

Coming into the 2025 WNBA season, few rookies had the level of hype and expectation that surrounded Paige Bueckers. A generational talent drafted first overall, Bueckers brought with her not only elite skill but a massive fanbase from her NCAA days. She was expected to revitalize the Dallas Wings and become a cornerstone of the league’s next era.

Unfortunately, her promising rookie campaign has been marred by injuries—injuries that have eerie connections to DJ Carrington’s reckless behavior on the court. The tipping point came on May 29, during a game against the Chicago Sky. Though the direct cause of Bueckers’ concussion remains inconclusive, the surrounding context is damning. The game was filled with hard fouls and escalating physicality, much of it stemming from Carrington’s aggressive defense.

Bueckers entered concussion protocol the following day, missing four critical games against Seattle, Los Angeles, and Minnesota. These weren’t just routine absences—they were pivotal matchups for a struggling Wings team. At the time of her injury, Bueckers was averaging 14.7 points and 6.7 assists per game, quickly emerging as one of the league’s brightest newcomers. Her absence derailed her momentum and cost the team dearly.

A Pattern of Violence

The concern isn’t just about one incident—it’s about a mounting list of them. Carrington’s rap sheet is growing longer with every game. In addition to the Bueckers-related controversy, Carrington recently delivered a flagrant foul to Jessica Shepard of the Minnesota Lynx during a fast break—an airborne, forearm-heavy hit that could have ended multiple careers. And in a matchup against the Los Angeles Sparks, she grabbed rookie Sarah Ashley Barker by the hair and yanked her to the ground, drawing audible gasps from commentators and viewers alike.

Perhaps the most infamous moment was Carrington’s eye poke on Caitlin Clark, the 2024 Rookie of the Year. Slow-motion footage captured Carrington reaching toward Clark’s face with clawed fingers—an incident that left Clark with a black eye and fans demanding accountability. Yet, the league failed to deliver any significant punishment.

These are not isolated missteps. They are part of a dangerous pattern—one that suggests a willful disregard for opponent safety and a troubling leniency from WNBA officials.

League Leadership: Where Is the Accountability?

For all the league’s promotional efforts to highlight growth, parity, and empowerment, its silence in the face of escalating player endangerment is deafening. Commissioner Kathy Engelbert has made public commitments to player safety and league integrity, but when push comes to shove—quite literally in Carrington’s case—the response has been inconsistent at best, nonexistent at worst.

There have been no suspensions for Carrington’s most egregious actions. Not for the eye poke. Not for the hair pulling. Not for the flagrant fouls. The disciplinary response has been limited to mild in-game penalties or retroactive upgrades to flagrant 1s—sanctions that carry little deterrent effect. Fans and analysts alike are beginning to question whether the league is serious about player safety or simply avoiding controversy to protect its image.

The optics are even worse considering the league’s growing visibility. With more eyes on the WNBA than ever before, high-profile injuries and unchecked violence aren’t just a safety issue—they’re a reputational crisis.

A Toxic Locker Room Dynamic

The situation in Dallas becomes even more combustible when factoring in Carrington’s off-court relationship with teammate Nelissa Smith. Once a promising talent herself, Smith has suffered a steep decline in performance and is now considered statistically the worst player in the league. Her presence, coupled with Carrington’s antics, has created a toxic locker room culture—one that threatens to derail the Wings’ season and further isolate players like Bueckers.

What makes matters worse is the duo’s dismissive attitude toward the controversies surrounding them. During an Instagram Live session, Smith jokingly poked Carrington in the eye, and the two laughed off comparisons to the Clark incident. Their public mockery of serious injury concerns speaks volumes about the culture being cultivated—and tolerated—within the team.

For a rookie like Bueckers, trying to adjust to the rigors of professional play while managing recovery from a concussion, this is more than just bad chemistry—it’s a hostile work environment.

The Path Forward: Reform or Regret?

The WNBA faces a crossroads. Allowing Carrington’s behavior to continue unchecked sets a dangerous precedent. It tells young players that aggression is rewarded, that the league won’t protect its stars, and that dirty play will be quietly tolerated as long as it doesn’t make national headlines.

This isn’t just about DJ Carrington or Paige Bueckers. It’s about the league’s commitment to fairness, safety, and professionalism. A player’s career should never be jeopardized by a teammate’s reckless disregard for the rules, and no league can grow sustainably if it fails to protect its most valuable assets—its players.

Suspensions, fines, and clear public statements are necessary. The league must make an example not to punish, but to protect. Otherwise, it risks alienating fans, deterring future stars, and undoing the very progress it has worked so hard to achieve.

Until then, players like Paige Bueckers remain trapped—not just by injury, but by a system unwilling to intervene. And that’s the real tragedy.