Overview:
DiJonai Carrington, a WNBA player, is bringing her intensity and leadership to the Dallas Wings after being traded from the Connecticut Sun. She is known for her activism on racial justice, gender equity, and representation, especially for Black women. Carrington has also expanded her influence in business, fashion, and media, appearing in Reebok's basketball relaunch and in Netflix's "Power Moves" docuseries. She is focused on building a lasting legacy with the Wings and creating opportunities for WNBA athletes.
When DiJonai Carrington steps on the court, you feel her presence before you even see her.
Her intensity, her leadership, and her sense of purpose ripple through the arena—whether she’s making clutch plays, hyping up her teammates, or standing firm on what she believes in.
Now 27, Carrington is bringing that same fire to the Dallas Wings. After being traded from the Connecticut Sun in February, she’s entering a new chapter—new city, new teammates, new opportunity.
“I’m excited the season’s back,” Carrington told Dallas Weekly the day before the Wings’ season opener. “Especially when it’s in a new place, with new people. Everything’s fresh, and that’s giving me a new kind of energy. I’m just ready to get out there.”
Built for This
Carrington has been immersed in sports her entire life. Growing up in San Diego, she was surrounded by athletic excellence—her father, Darren Carrington, played in the NFL, while her mother was a standout track athlete and later a basketball coach. All of her siblings were athletes, too.
“I was around sports from the jump,” she said. “My parents put me in everything—gymnastics, football, volleyball, track, softball—you name it. But basketball? I just had the most fun with it, and honestly, I was the best at it. So I stuck with it.”
And Carrington clearly made the right choice. At Horizon Christian Academy, she racked up over 2,000 points and earned invitations to the McDonald’s All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic—two of high school basketball’s most prestigious honors.
She took her talents to Stanford, where she helped lead the Cardinal to two Pac-12 tournament titles. But Stanford was more than a basketball experience—it was where Carrington began discovering and sharpening her voice off the court.
Cardinal & Gold, Knowledge & Soul
Carrington was busy at Stanford— double-majoring in psychology and African and African American studies. In her words, she could blend her curiosity about human behavior with a deeper understanding of her identity and history.
“I always knew I wanted to do psych,” she said. “I was intrigued by the mind—why people do what they do, how they think. I was that kid watching all those criminology shows, fascinated by nonverbal cues, tone, cadence—just the inner workings of people’s behavior.”
But one course in particular opened a new path for her.
“It was an African American Women’s Lives class,” she recalled. “The amount I learned in that one summer class was more than I had learned in my entire 18 years. It made me want to keep going. I started taking more classes, just out of interest. By my sophomore or junior year, I was almost done with the major without even realizing it.”
Power Moves, Purpose and Pride
That academic foundation helped Carrington step into activism with purpose and pride. She speaks out often on racial justice, gender equity, and representation—especially for Black women.
“It’s helped me stay true to myself,” she said. “Proud to be who I am. Proud to stand in all the things that are authentically me. I’ll never back down from a conversation or from standing up for what I know is right—especially when it comes to supporting Black women, Black people, and women in general.”
And Carrington walks the talk. Whether on social media, in interviews, or in closed-door conversations, she’s known for being thoughtful, outspoken, and consistent.
After four years at Stanford, Carrington transferred to Baylor for her final college season. In a year disrupted by COVID-19 protocols, she averaged 14.1 points per game, earned Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and Sixth Person of the Year honors, and helped lead Baylor to the Elite Eight of the 2021 NCAA Tournaments.
Despite her success on the court, she never fully experienced the energy of Texas fans due to the pandemic. Now, playing professionally in Dallas, she’s ready to soak it all in.
“I didn’t really get to feel the energy of Texas basketball fans,” she said. “So now being in Dallas, I’m excited to finally get a taste of that. I know it’s going to be crazy [at College Park Center] every single night.”
Ten Toes Down in Texas
Carrington was selected 20th overall in the 2021 WNBA Draft by the Connecticut Sun. Over three seasons, she carved out a reputation as one of the league’s top two-way players. Her breakout year came in 2024, when she won the WNBA’s Most Improved Player award and earned All-Defensive First Team honors.
“I had a great experience there,” she said of her time in Connecticut. “People don’t think about Connecticut much, but in the basketball world, it’s huge—UConn, the Sun, that’s really the heartbeat of sports there. But I’m excited to build something new here in Dallas.”
That fresh start also gives Carrington a chance to keep pushing for progress in the league. She’s long been a vocal advocate for better player conditions, and she’s not shy about calling for change—especially when it comes to equality across all WNBA markets.
“Everyone deserves that—no matter the market,” she said. “That should be a given now, not a luxury.”
All Heart, All Hustle, All Hers
Carrington’s drive extends well beyond basketball. She’s steadily expanding her influence in business, fashion, and media.
Soon, expect to see Carrington as one of the lead faces in Reebok’s basketball relaunch, including the release of the brand’s new performance sneaker, the Engine A’s.
Of course, style matters, but performance is a non-negotiable for Carrington.
“They’re lightweight, supportive, and perfect for my game,” she said of the Engine A’s. “I’m agile, I need to cut, change direction, elevate fast—and these let me do that. Plus, they look good. So it’s a win-win.”
And that’s not all. You can catch Carrington in Netflix’s upcoming “Power Moves” docuseries this June alongside legends like Allen Iverson and Shaquille O’Neal.
“I think Shaq and AI are the perfect people to lead this because when I think of Reebok basketball, they’re the first two that come to mind. Shaq has such a strong business sense and is great at getting the name out there and building partnerships.”
One of her most surreal moments came while talking to Iverson himself.
“It’s wild. I was chopping it up with AI and I’m like, ‘We’re basically the same height,’” she laughed. “Just seeing him in person, talking about the game, the culture—it was surreal.”
The 5’11 guard is also helping reshape the future of women’s basketball as a founding member of Unrivaled, a new player-led 3-on-3 league designed to create more opportunities for WNBA athletes and grow the game from within.
Not Just Passing Through
As the 2025 season unfolds, Carrington is focused on more than box scores. She’s focused on legacy—on building something lasting with the Wings.
“I know what we’re capable of,” she said. “I’m standing ten toes behind this roster. Yeah, people are hyped to see names like Paige [Bueckers], Arike [Ogunbowale], NaLyssa [Smith], Ty [Harris], and Myisha [Hines-Allen]—but we know we’ve got work to do. We’re just trying to figure it out and peak at the right time.”
For Carrington, Dallas isn’t just her next stop—it’s a destination. A place to lead, inspire, and elevate. She’s not just chasing wins; she’s chasing impact. And in Dallas, she’s only just getting started.