A recent Women’s Basketball (WNBA) match in Los Angeles is making more news than usual after a team member was hit by an adult toy thrown from the bleachers.
The incident involving Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham is the third in the last week—the first involved a supporter receiving a one-year ban.
Cunningham, who was apparently struck by the bright green adult toy on Tuesday, August 5, had previously called on fans to “stop throwing d**dos,” and is now pondering the wisdom of her plea.
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Footage of the incident shows Cunningham and her teammates converging on the hoop in the second quarter of the match before the whistle blows, and she hops back, stunned.
“We got an object that just flew in as the free throw was being made,” the commentator could be heard saying.
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“It looked like that hit a player too.”
Kelsey Plum from the opposing Los Angeles Sparks can be seen swiftly kicking the luminous projectile away as Cunningham walks toward the benches, laughing with her teammates.
The athlete had previously called on fans to stop throwing items onto the court
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Cunningham appealed to fans just three days prior on X, “Stop throwing dil*os on the court… you’re going to hurt one of us.”
Comments from netizens suggested they were not inclined to heed the call, and one wrote: “We think you’re all a bit uptight, we’re doing you a favor.”
Another fan saw it as a fans’ legal right and wrote: “Throwing s*x toys [are] protected by the first amendment. If you hate America and the constitution, I recommend leaving.”
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The irony of Cunningham being hit (apparently) with the object was not lost on her. She reposted her original appeal and wrote: “This did NOT age well.”
An individual has since been arrested and charged with 23 counts of disorderly conduct
The Tuesday incident is part of a growing trend.
On August 4, police in College Park, Georgia, told ESPN that they had arrested an individual by the name of Delbert Carver after he lobbed an adult toy onto the court during a Golden State Valkyries–Atlanta Dream match.
He has been charged with 23 counts of “disorderly conduct, public indecency/indecent exposure and criminal trespass.”
The Clayton County website quoted the man, saying: “This was supposed to be a joke and this joke [was] supposed to go viral.”
The WNBA has warned that it will be removing fans who throw things onto the court
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The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) has since made it clear that it does not see the humor.
“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,” the WNBA announced on Saturday, August 2.
“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.”
Liberty forward, Isabelle Harrison, has weighed in, and she says players don’t find it funny anymore
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Los Angeles Sparks’ Coach Lynne Roberts addressed the behavior on the same day, describing it as “ridiculous,” “d**b,” and “stupid.”
“It’s also dangerous and players’ safety is No. 1. Respecting the game. All those things. I think it’s really stupid,” NBC News reported her saying.
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The New York Post reported on an incident on August 5 during a Dallas Wings–New York Liberty contest, in which the same item was hurled but never reached the court.
Following the alleged incident, the outlet spoke to Liberty forward Isabelle Harrison, and quoted her saying:
“You just have to continuously prioritize the players, because it’s obviously safety, but also just so immature to me, like, I just hate that that’s being attached to our brand and our name.”
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“This is like, let’s be professional here. I get the jokes, and things can be funny, but it just gets to a point,” said Harrison, who claimed that WNBA players were “over it.”
The internet has responded to the incident with memes
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