Lime Green Object Disrupts WNBA Game in Unusual Incident
Late in a tightly contested WNBA matchup, an unexpected object—a lime green dildo—landed on the court, creating a moment of confusion and laughter among players and officials alike.
This unusual incident unfolded on July 29 at the Gateway Center Arena in College Park, where the Atlanta Dream faced off against the Golden State Valkyries. With the game tied in the final minute, the atmosphere was tense until the unexpected projectile made its entrance.
The play leading up to the interruption was intense; Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes had her shot blocked, and teammate Veronica Burton quickly regained possession. The dildo struck the court mere feet from Burton, bouncing away into the backcourt, seemingly unnoticed by the players at first.
Referees allowed play to continue until a dead ball situation arose, which came shortly after an out-of-bounds call. This pause gave everyone a chance to identify the object. Broadcast footage captured a police officer standing near it, with Dream part-owner Renee Montgomery observing nearby.
In a moment of unexpected levity, the camera zoomed in on the object before hastily cutting away. The officer then used a towel to discreetly remove it from the court.
Postgame reactions revealed mixed feelings among players. Valkyries forward Cecilia Zandalasini expressed concern over the potential danger of such actions. “I mean, first of all, it was super dangerous. And then when we found out what it was, I guess we just started laughing,” she said. “I’ve never seen anything like that. I’m just glad we worked through that situation. We stayed locked in, we stayed concentrated.”
Hayes echoed these sentiments, noting, “Yeah, one of our players almost got hit with it, so that’s very dangerous. We persevered.”
While fans often test the limits of acceptable behavior at sporting events, throwing objects onto the playing surface is typically met with swift consequences. Usually, those responsible are quickly identified and removed from the venue.
This incident is not entirely unprecedented in sports; for instance, the Buffalo Bills experienced a series of similar occurrences during games against the New England Patriots between 2016 and 2018. However, this marks a first for the WNBA.
Ultimately, the Valkyries secured a narrow victory with a final score of 77-75, overshadowing questions about how the fan managed to smuggle such an item into the arena.
