‘I’ve Been Doing Okay’: Dallas Wings’ DiJonai Carrington Practices Fully for First Time Since Rib Injury
DiJonai Carrington practiced in full on Tuesday for the first time since suffering a rib injury during a Dallas Wings home game against the Connecticut Sun on June 20. The injury occurred late in the fourth quarter when Carrington took a hard hit to the chest while drawing a charge. She has missed at least eight consecutive games since that incident.
Carrington had not traveled with the team during its recent three-game road trip and was previously limited to light shooting during practices. Tuesday marked a significant step forward in her recovery, but her availability for Wednesday’s home matchup against the Las Vegas Aces has yet to be determined. She was later listed as questionable on the official injury report.
“I’ve been doing okay,” Carrington said. “It’s been a really slow process. These are tough injuries to heal, and there’s really just time—not much you can do to help expedite that process.”
Wings head coach Chris Koclanes confirmed Carrington’s full participation in practice and praised her performance, though he stopped short of confirming her return to game action.
“She looked good. Conditioning looked good. Physicality looked good. She looked pretty comfortable,” Koclanes said. “Not sure if we’ll have her tomorrow, but we’ll see.”
Carrington admitted that being sidelined has been difficult, but she’s used the time to stay engaged as a leader and keep perspective.
“It’s always tough not being able to be out there,” she said. “But I’ve been injured before—missed a year, six months. So a month obviously hurts, but putting it into perspective helps me see the bigger picture. It gets you that hunger and that appreciation all over again.”
Before her injury, Carrington was averaging 11.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. Her two-way impact and vocal presence have been missed, especially on a Wings roster that has leaned heavily on rookies during her absence.
“I pick up on things quickly that the other team is doing,” she said. “I can help put us in positions early to be successful. Whether it’s little things like telling people to be smart, not gamble in the backcourt, or just getting back—those are things we’ve been missing.”
The Wings have not provided a firm timetable for Carrington’s return, but her official injury designation for Wednesday’s game was later determined to be questionable. Still, her full-contact participation in practice is a promising sign as Dallas looks to close the first half of the season on a strong note.
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