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DiJonai Carrington praised Boston fans, criticized WNBA promotion following Sun win at TD Garden
"It really shows how much this city loves sports."
DiJonai Carrington’s reaction to the WNBA’s sellout crowd in Boston: The Connecticut Sun delivered what the sellout crowd at TD Garden expected to see in the WNBA’s first regular season game in Boston on Tuesday night.
The Sun, a title contender currently sitting second in the standings, eventually overwhelmed the Los Angeles Sparks in a 69-61 win in front of more than 19,000 fans.
Reacting to the unusual circumstances — Connecticut normally plays in an arena that seats only 10,000 — Sun guard DiJonai Carrington expressed appreciation for Boston fans prior to tipoff.
“It really shows how much this city loves sports,” she told reporters. “It doesn’t matter what sport, what gender, they’re going to show up and show out.”
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“I think it’s super exciting,” Carrington noted. “I did not think we were going to sell out.”
After scoring a game-high 19 points and helping Connecticut jumpstart a 14-0 run that led to the victory over Los Angeles, Carrington addressed a comment she made on social media earlier in the day.
“We’re playing at the TD Garden tonight and it’s sold out,” Carrington wrote prior to the game. “First [WNBA] game here ever. Historic. Not on TV, but you can catch it right here on Twitter.”
The comment was a direct critique of the WNBA’s decision to put another Tuesday matchup (New York Liberty vs. Dallas Wings) on the NBA TV broadcast as opposed to Connecticut. The Sun-Sparks game was streamed on Twitter as well as League Pass (and locally on NBC Sports Boston), but was not shown on regularly accessible national TV.
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“I feel like Connecticut as a franchise is historically disrespected,” Carrington explained. “Sometimes if you want something, you have to go out there and do it yourself and that’s what I did for us. I think there could have been a lot more publicity from the top. Connecticut announced that we were having this game almost a year ago [last December]. It was ample time to do what needed to be done. But it didn’t matter anyway, because they showed up. So I guess my Tweet worked.”
“The game should have been on the national television broadcast,” she added. “You shouldn’t have to pay for any type of subscription to see a game that’s this historic, in my opinion.”
Her comments illustrate the interesting (if imperfect) place the WNBA finds itself in at the moment, with rapidly growing popularity but a league promotional strategy that, in her view, appears to be lagging behind.
When it was over, Carrington reiterated her love of Boston fans, closing by saying the Sun aim to “be back soon, hopefully.”
Trivia: Though Alyssa Thomas has already established her legacy as a Sun legend, she is not yet the team’s all-time leading scorer. Can you name the combined all-time scoring leader in the history of the franchise?
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(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: For the first four years of the team’s existence, it was known as the Orlando Miracle prior to moving to Connecticut. The player in question, a former UConn standout, featured for the team during both its time in Orlando as well as Connecticut.
Scores and schedules:
The Red Sox overcame the Astros 6-5 on Tuesday night. Jarren Duran went 4-for-4 (including a solo home run) while Triston Casas went 2-for-3 with a three-run shot of his own.
The two teams play again this evening at 8:10 p.m. in Houston.
Also on Tuesday night, the Connecticut Sun defeated the Los Angeles Sparks 69-61 in the first WNBA regular season game ever held in Boston.
More from Boston.com:
- Jarren Duran goes 4-for-4 with tiebreaking homer in 8th to lift Red Sox over Astros 6-5
- DiJonai Carrington scores 19 as Sun top Sparks 69-61 in first WNBA game at Celtics home
- Former Patriots coach Bill Parcells gives his take on playing young QBs
- Tom Brady believes NFL has ‘dumbed the game down’ to help rookie QBs start early
- Bill Belichick explains what trait made Tom Brady stand out as a rookie
- Former Patriots coach Brian Flores responds to Tua Tagovailoa’s harsh criticism
- What Jaylen Brown said about Celtics’ plans of repeating in 2024-25
- Tua Tagovailoa described former HC Brian Flores’s style in blunt terms, called him a ‘terrible person’
- How Payton Tolle’s mother helped him become a Boston Red Sox
- New England Revolution to host watch party at Old North Church for match against Montreal
Red Sox prospect got his first Triple-A home run: Roman Anthony hit one out for the Worcester Red Sox on Tuesday, his first home run since being promoted to the highest minor league level.
Vince Wilfork’s take: The former Patriots defensive lineman weighed in on the current quarterback competition.
On this day: In 1984, Red Sox rookie starter Roger Clemens struck out 15 Royals in an 11-1 Boston win. Jim Rice and Tony Armas both hit home runs in what proved to be more than enough run support for the talented Clemens.
Daily highlight: Ceddanne Rafaela and Triston Casas combined for a top level defensive play in the Red Sox win on Tuesday.
Trivia answer: Nykesha Sales
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