Man arrested for launching adult toy at WNBA game, accused of pulling foolish stunt
In the world of professional sports, the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) has been grappling with an unusual and concerning trend - sex toys being thrown onto court during games. This disturbing phenomenon began during a game between the Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream at Gateway Center Arena, and since then, at least five such incidents have been reported.
The Incidents
The most recent incident occurred at PHX Arena during the Mercury's game against the Connecticut Sun. Previously, a green sex toy landed near Fever guard Sophie Cunningham during the Sparks' win over the Indiana Fever at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday. Another such incident took place under the basket during a game between the Valkyries and the Chicago Sky on Aug. 1.
One notable incident occurred at Barclays Center during a Liberty game, where videos of similar objects being thrown went viral. Despite a previous fan arrest related to such behavior, these incidents have continued, indicating ongoing challenges with controlling fan conduct.
The Perpetrators
The individuals who threw the sex toys have not been publicly identified or held accountable beyond one reported arrest. Delbert Carver, a 23-year-old man, was arrested in connection with throwing a sex toy during a WNBA game in Atlanta on July 29. Kaden Lopez, an 18-year-old man, was arrested in connection with the incident in Phoenix.
The Response
WNBA coaches and players have condemned the behavior as unsafe, disrespectful, and distracting. Sparks coach Lynne Roberts called the acts "ridiculous," "dumb," and "stupid," emphasizing player safety and respect for the game as priorities. Players and referees have tried to minimize the impact on the games by continuing play without drawing extra attention to the incidents.
Fever coach Stephanie White emphasized that while the league cannot control individual fan actions, the teams come to play and expect a respectful environment. The WNBA's statement emphasizes the league's priority for the safety and well-being of everyone in the arenas, and any fan who intentionally throws an object onto the court will be immediately ejected, face a minimum one-year ban, and may be subject to arrest and prosecution by local authorities.
This is not the first time WNBA players and coaches have spoken out against officiating they view as inconsistent and dangerous. While the league's response to the sex toy throwing incidents is clear, the ongoing challenge lies in prevention and enforcement.
[1] USA Today Report [2] ESPN Report
- The disturbing trend of sex toys being thrown onto WNBA court during games originated from a game between the Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream at Gateway Center Arena.
- Kaden Lopez, an 18-year-old man, was arrested in connection with the sex toy incident that took place during a Mercury game against the Connecticut Sun at PHX Arena.
- Fans have been throwing sex toys at games in locations ranging from Crypto.com Arena (where an incident occurred during a Sparks game) to Barclays Center (where similar objects were thrown during a Liberty game).
- WNBA teams, including the Los Angeles Sparks and Indiana Fever, have called out the behavior as unsafe, disrespectful, and distracting, with Sparks coach Lynne Roberts referring to the acts as "ridiculous," "dumb," and "stupid."
- The WNBA has made it clear that any fan who intentionally throws an object onto the court will be ejected, face a minimum one-year ban, and may be subject to arrest and prosecution by local authorities, as was the case with Delbert Carver (arrested in Atlanta) and Kaden Lopez (arrested in Phoenix).
