DiJonai Carrington Bio
DiJonai Victoria Carrington (born January 8, 1998) is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Sky of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). Standing 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) and listed at 175 lb (79 kg), she plays as a shooting guard and forward. She is widely regarded as one of the league’s top perimeter defenders.
Carrington first gained national recognition as a McDonald’s All-American at Horizon Christian Academy in San Diego, California. After four seasons at Stanford and a graduate transfer year at Baylor, she was selected 20th overall by the Connecticut Sun in the 2021 WNBA draft. Her professional résumé now includes the 2024 WNBA Most Improved Player award and a 2024 WNBA All-Defensive First Team selection.
Early Life and Background
DiJonai Victoria Carrington was born on January 8, 1998, in San Diego, California. She is the daughter of Darren Carrington, a former NFL player, and Victoria Carrington. Growing up in a deeply athletic household, she was introduced to competitive basketball at an early age and quickly developed into a multi-position prospect.
She attended Horizon Christian Academy in San Diego, where she became one of the most decorated high school players in the region. Carrington scored more than 2,000 career points while averaging 18.8 points, 13.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 2.5 steals per game. Her senior honors included selection as both a McDonald’s All-American and a Jordan Brand Classic All-American.
Following her standout high school career, Carrington committed to Stanford, where she later earned undergraduate degrees in psychology and African and African American studies. Her older brother, Darren Carrington II, played wide receiver for the Oregon Ducks, extending the family’s presence in major college athletics.
Path to Basketball
Carrington played four seasons of college basketball at Stanford from 2016 to 2020. During that span, she helped the Cardinal capture two Pac-12 tournament championships in 2017 and 2019. In 2019, she was named to the All Pac-12 Team by both the coaches and the media, and she earned Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention recognition in 2018 and 2019, followed by an Academic Honor Roll selection in 2020.
Seeking a new challenge as a graduate transfer, Carrington moved to Baylor for the 2020–2021 season. She averaged 14.1 points and 4.9 rebounds per game for the Lady Bears and was honored as the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and the Big 12 Sixth Player of the Year. Her play across two elite programs positioned her as a second-round talent in the 2021 WNBA draft.
DiJonai Carrington Career
WNBA Early Career (2021–2023)
The Connecticut Sun selected DiJonai Victoria Carrington with the 20th overall pick in the second round of the 2021 WNBA draft. She earned one of the Sun’s 11 roster spots out of training camp and quickly carved out a role as a defensive specialist. Across her first three seasons in Connecticut, she developed into a trusted rotation piece on a consistently competitive Sun team.
During the 2022 offseason, Carrington joined the inaugural Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball season, where she was one of only two players to score in double figures in all 15 games and finished seventh on the league leaderboard. She was also named to the league’s inaugural All-Defensive Team.
Connecticut Sun Breakthrough (2024)
Carrington’s fourth WNBA season was her defining one. On September 25, 2024, the WNBA announced that she had been named the 2024 Most Improved Player, recognizing her expanded offensive role and perimeter impact. Four days later, on September 29, 2024, she was named to the 2024 WNBA All-Defensive First Team.
Her 2024 campaign established her as one of the league’s premier two-way wings and elevated her national profile heading into the next phase of her career.
Minnesota Lynx Era (2025)
On February 2, 2025, Carrington was traded to the Dallas Wings as part of a four-team deal. On August 3, 2025, she was traded again, this time to the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for Diamond Miller, Karlie Samuelson, and Minnesota’s 2027 second-round draft pick. Her move to Minnesota placed her on a contending roster and broadened her national spotlight.
During the 2025 season, Carrington also played for the Mist in the inaugural season of Unrivaled, the women’s 3-on-3 league founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart. A foot injury sustained during the 2025 WNBA campaign later required ongoing recovery that kept her out of the 2026 Unrivaled season.
Driving Style and Strengths
Carrington is known for her disruptive perimeter defense, quick hands, and ability to guard multiple positions across the wing. She pairs that defensive intensity with efficient perimeter shooting and rebounding from the guard spot, allowing her to function as a connective two-way piece in modern offensive schemes.
Notable Events and Milestones
Carrington’s signature moments include her 2024 WNBA Most Improved Player and All-Defensive First Team honors, marking the clearest evidence of her professional ascent. Her midseason trade to the Minnesota Lynx in August 2025 also stood out as one of the most talked-about moves of that WNBA calendar.
DiJonai Carrington Career Wins
DiJonai Victoria Carrington’s career has been defined more by defensive accolades and growth awards than by championship hardware. Her collection of WNBA individual honors, however, reflects sustained impact at the highest level of women’s basketball.
WNBA Highlights
Carrington is a two-time WNBA award recipient from the 2024 season, taking home both Most Improved Player and a spot on the All-Defensive First Team. Earlier, her college accolades included the 2019 All Pac-12 selection and the 2021 Big 12 Sixth Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year honors at Baylor.
Other Wins and Performances
At Stanford, Carrington was part of two Pac-12 tournament championship teams in 2017 and 2019. In Athletes Unlimited, she posted double-figure scoring in every regular-season game during the league’s 2022 inaugural campaign and was named to its All-Defensive Team.
DiJonai Carrington Family
Family Background and Athletic Lineage
DiJonai Victoria Carrington is the daughter of Darren Carrington, a former NFL player, and Victoria Carrington. Her older brother, Darren Carrington II, played wide receiver for the Oregon Ducks, making basketball and football central family pursuits. She earned undergraduate degrees from Stanford in psychology and African and African American studies.
Personal Life
Carrington is in a relationship with fellow WNBA player NaLyssa Smith. In 2025, she became the second Reebok-endorsed WNBA player, joining a growing list of league stars aligned with the brand.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 WNBA season was one of transition for DiJonai Victoria Carrington. After being traded to the Dallas Wings in February 2025, she joined the Minnesota Lynx in August as part of an August 3 deal. Her time with the Lynx gave her a chance to contribute on a contending roster during the season’s stretch run.
Carrington also represented the Mist during Unrivaled’s 2025 season, broadening her offseason profile. A foot injury suffered during the 2025 WNBA campaign ultimately required ongoing recovery, which was cited when she was held out of Unrivaled in 2026.
Looking ahead, Carrington’s standing as a 2024 Most Improved Player and All-Defensive First Team honoree positions her as a defensive cornerstone for years to come, and her two-way skill set remains one of the most reliable in the WNBA.