WNBA player who gave Caitlin Clark a black eye with her fingernail explains what happened: “I didn't know”

Connecticut Sun defenseman DiJonai Carrington stuck her long fingernail in Caitlin Clark's eye during the Sun's 93-69 victory over the Indiana Fever in the WNBA playoffs on Sunday.

Carrington hit Clark as she attempted to block a pass from Clark in the first quarter. Slow motion footage showed Carrington flexing her hand and pointing her nails in Clark's face as she attempted to block. No foul was called on the play.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Carrington denied intentionally trying to give Clark a black eye.

“I don't even know why I wanted to hit someone in the eye,” Carrington said. “That doesn't make sense to me. But no, I didn't. Actually, I didn't know I had hit them. I wanted to play the ball, and I guess I followed through and hit them. So obviously it's never intentional. I'm not even that type of player.”

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Later in the game, Carrington was seen laughing with Suns teammate Marina Mabrey. Carrington said they weren't laughing about giving Clark the black eye.

“I can't laugh at something I didn't know happened,” Carrington said.

Clark agreed that she did not believe Carrington intentionally punched her in the eye while speaking to reporters on Tuesday.

“It was definitely not intentional. They just watched the game. It was not intentional,” Clark said.

Carrington has a history of angering Clark and her fans. During a game in June, Carrington fouled Clark after Clark received a throw-in from teammate Kristy Wallace. Clark caught the pass and headed toward the basket. Carrington was late getting to Clark because Aliyah Boston was blocking her and collided with Clark.

Connecticut Sun guard DiJonai Carrington (21) commits a foul against Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) in the second half of a WNBA game in Indianapolis on August 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Carrington did not like the decision and felt Clark had over-exaggerated the foul and began taunting the Fever rookie, earning her a barrage of boos from her own home crowd.

After the game, Carrington posted a hostile message on X, saying, “But I'm a racist, a jealous, a monkey hater, a bitch who needs to go back to Africa if I do this, huh? Please. Like I said, this is basketball.”

Carrington then responded to a random X user who wrote, “If the races were reversed, Carrington would have been ejected.” The WNBA player wrote, “BFFR (be f—ing for real) Paul.”

Later that month, Carrington made another Post on X She said Clark should speak out more against people who misuse her name for “racism” and other forms of prejudice.

FEVER'S CAITLIN CLARK FINISHES FOURTH IN WNBA MVP VOTING

Indiana Fever defenseman Caitlin Clark (22) reacts to a foul in the first quarter during Game 1 of the first round of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, September 22, 2024. (Mark Smith-Images)

“Dude. It's crazy that someone doesn't mind when their name is used to justify racism, bigotry, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia and the intersectionalities of all of that,” Carrington wrote. “We all see the [s—]. We all have a platform. We all have a voice and we all have weight. Silence is a luxury.”

On August 28, after the Fever defeated the Sun 84-80 in Indiana, Carrington posted on X criticizing Indiana fans.

“The Indiana Fever have the meanest fans in the W. ew,” Carrington wrote.

Carrington's eye-gouging was the latest controversial physical incident this year involving Clark and her opponents in the WNBA.

Chicago Skys player Diamond DeShields sent Clark across the floor for a foul. The foul was upgraded to an intentional foul on August 30. After the game, DeShields posted a screenshot of her notification list on Instagram that contained a slew of hateful comments.

Clark was subjected to an infamous illegal hip check by Sky striker Chennedy Carter on June 1. Carter refused to answer questions about the incident at a post-game press conference, but used her social media to criticize Clark.

Angel Reese, a Sky rookie and longtime college rival of Clark, slammed her arm into Clark's head as she tried to block a pass during a June 16 game. Reese said Clark's fans racially abused her and even sent her explicit AI images of her.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Diamond DeShields of the Chicago Sky runs into Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever and is charged with an intentional foul at Wintrust Arena on August 30, 2024 in Chicago. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

Former NBA All-Star Joakim Noah suggested that the Fever wanted to solve the problem by signing a player who could stand up to opponents who were too physical for Clark.

“If I were the owner of Indiana Fever, I would put a real enforcer in place to protect her,” Noah told Fox News Digital earlier this month. “Sometimes I feel like she gets beat because she's a very talented person.”

“But ultimately, it’s about winning games. So if I’m the owner, [of the Indiana Fever]I'm going to bring in a real enforcer.”

The Fever and Sun meet on Wednesday for the second game of their three-game playoff series, and Clark and Co. are just one loss away from ending their season.

“We can win,” Clark said. “It's not about the building. It's not about the gym. It's not about the baskets. I have the most confidence in the world in this team, and everyone in the locker room does, too. And I know we're going to be a lot better on Wednesday.”

Follow Fox News Digital Sports coverage on Xand subscribe the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.