Multiple pro-women’s basketball games have been interrupted in recent months after sex toys were thrown onto courts, leaving players and coaches angry — and fans flat-out baffled.
The incidents have even resulted in two people being arrested so far, but why is this happening in the first place?
Well, according to multiple news outlets, a crypto meme-coin group has spoken out, saying that it helped spark some of the chaos.
The most visible flashpoint came when the Atlanta Dream’s game against the Chicago Sky was paused after “a purple sex toy was tossed from the stands onto the court”, BBC News reports. Days later, as the Indiana Fever faced the Los Angeles Sparks, “a green sex toy landed on the court near Indiana player Sophie Cunningham”, BBC adds.
Cunningham had already warned people online to stop — writing, “you’re going to hurt one of us” — and then watched it happen anyway. Cunningham later said on her podcast: “Everyone’s trying to make sure the W is not a joke and it’s taken seriously, and then that happens.”
Players and coaches haven’t minced words. Chicago Sky player Elizabeth Williams said, per USA Today: “It’s super disrespectful. I don’t really get the point of it. It’s really immature. Whoever is doing it needs to grow up.” Minnesota Lynx Head Coach Cheryl Reeve called the trend a “distraction” and told reporters: “This has been going on for centuries. The sexualization of women. This is the latest version of that. And it’s not funny and it should not be the butt of jokes on radio shows, or in print or any comments.”
The league’s response has escalated as incidents stack up. In a notice sent out after the third such disruption in a week, the WNBA said: “The safety and well-being of everyone in our arenas is a top priority for our league,” adding: “In line with WNBA Arena Security Standards, any fan who intentionally throws an object onto the court will be immediately ejected and face a minimum one-year ban in addition to being subject to arrest and prosecution by local authorities.”
That mirrors an earlier WNBA statement that read: “The safety and well-being of everyone in our arenas is a top priority for our league. Objects of any kind thrown onto the court or in the seating area can pose a safety risk for players, game officials, and fans.”
On-court, players did their best to keep moving. When the object bounced near Cunningham in Los Angeles, “the Sparks’ Kelsey Plum kicked it away.” Afterward, Plum praised everyone for not letting it derail the game: “playing on, don’t give it any attention. The refs, too, I really appreciate them, too, [it] was just like, ‘Hey, let’s go.’” Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts was blunt: “I think it’s ridiculous, it’s dumb, it’s stupid. It’s also dangerous and players’ safety is No. 1. Respecting the game. All those things. I think it’s really stupid.”
Police action has followed. In Atlanta, a 23-year-old by the name of Delbert Carver was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, public indecency/indecent exposure, and criminal trespass after he was accused of throwing a toy at a game on July 29. In Phoenix, 18-year-old Kaden Lopez was arrested after another incident following a game on August 5, which resulted in another fan being hit on the head.
So who’s behind it? A community tied to a meme-coin called Green Dildo Coin has told media it triggered some of the disruptions to promote the token.
A spokesperson said members started throwing green sex toys to coincide with the launch of the meme-coin, BBC News reports, insisting: “We didn’t do this because like we dislike women’s sports or, like, some of the narratives that are trending right now are ridiculous,” and calling the stunts “viral.”
They also said the two arrested individuals were not part of the group. However, not every incident fits their claim, as some of the toys thrown have not been green.
The situation has multiplied quickly. Reports now point to objects being thrown (or nearly thrown) in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Phoenix, New York and more — with some items not quite reaching the floor, and one “landed near a child” at Barclays Center.
Beyond the disruptions, many see a darker message. Sports commentator Savanna Hamilton described it as “very disturbing,” stressing to CBC that “it’s [the [players’] workplace and workplace safety matters … they could seriously actually get hurt.”
“The WNBA has fought so hard to be taken seriously, to get where they are now … For it to be mocked, not just once, not just twice, but now a third time and a potential fourth time, that’s where a line has to be drawn.”
Media outlets have framed it in even starker terms.
Cosmopolitan wrote: “There are people paying good money to attend a professional basketball game just to throw a (sex toy) at the players’ feet. Why? To send a message; to tell women that they don’t belong on the court and that their athleticism isn’t as valuable as their sexuality. This is misogyny, plain and simple. … They don’t care about what women deserve or how disgusting and violating their actions are. It’s time for NBA players to stand in solidarity with their female counterparts and call this behavior what it is: unacceptable, sexist, and detrimental to the entire sport.”
The WNBA’s line is clear: throw anything and “you will be immediately ejected and face a minimum one-year ban” — with potential arrest to follow. The hope inside locker rooms is even clearer. As Elizabeth Williams said: “Whoever is doing it needs to grow up.”
Featured image credit: X (Screenshots)
