Sophie Cunningham Addresses Court Disruption from Fan's Sex Toy Throw

During a recent WNBA game, Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham found herself at the center of an unusual incident when a fan threw a neon green sex toy onto the court. This unexpected disruption has sparked conversations about player safety and respect for the game.

“If someone threw that thing and like, first of all the bounce, the bounce that that thing had, if that smacked someone in the face you know that that’s going to be plastered everywhere,” Cunningham remarked on her podcast, “Show Me Something,” on August 5. Her comments came after two similar incidents occurred just days prior, one at an Atlanta Dream game and another at a Chicago Sky matchup.

On August 1, Cunningham took to social media to express her concerns, stating, “Stop throwing dildos on the court. You’re going to hurt one of us.” Ironically, during the Fever's game against the Sparks in Los Angeles on August 5, a neon green torpedo landed on the court, striking Cunningham in the ankle.

In a swift response, Sparks star Kelsey Plum kicked the object off the court as the game continued, culminating in a 100-91 victory for Los Angeles. Following the game, Cunningham humorously acknowledged her earlier warning by tweeting, “This did NOT age well.”

The trend of fans throwing sex toys has generated both laughter and concern within the WNBA community. However, the league has made it clear that such behavior is unacceptable. The individual responsible for the initial incident in Atlanta has been arrested, and the WNBA issued a statement emphasizing its commitment to safety.

“The safety and well-being of everyone in our arenas is a top priority for our league,” stated the WNBA on August 2. “Objects of any kind thrown onto the court or in the seating area can pose a safety risk for players, game officials, and fans. 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.”

Cunningham further expressed her frustration regarding how these incidents undermine the progress women’s basketball has made. “Everyone’s trying to make sure the W is not a joke and it’s taken seriously and then that happens,” she said on her podcast. “I’m like, ‘how are we ever going to get taken seriously?’”

Sparks coach Lynne Roberts echoed Cunningham's sentiments during the postgame press conference, labeling the actions of fans as “ridiculous,” “dumb,” and “stupid.” She emphasized that player safety must always come first and that respecting the game is paramount.