A bizarre and disruptive incident marred Monday night’s WNBA matchup between the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream at Gateway Center Arena. With the score tied at 75 and under a minute remaining, a neon green dildo was thrown onto the court, briefly halting a tightly contested game.
The object landed near the baseline as the Valkyries maintained possession. It bounced across the hardwood, nearly striking several players before officials noticed and blew the whistle. A uniformed officer removed the object while security scanned the crowd to identify the culprit. No arrests have been made, but online calls for a lifetime ban and legal consequences quickly followed.
Broadcast commentators were caught off guard as cameras captured the moment live. “Something green just flew onto the court,” one announcer said, while another added, “Nobody’s picked up the object yet—and oh my gosh,” before the feed cut away.
Slow-motion replays and fan-recorded footage confirmed the object’s shape and identity. What began as a shocking visual quickly escalated into a broader conversation about player safety, arena security, and respect for women athletes.
After the game, Valkyries forward Cecilia Zandalasini laughed off the disruption, calling it “the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen.” Teammate Tiffany Hayes also cracked up when asked about the object. But beyond the humor, many fans expressed frustration, calling the act a violation of the players’ space and dignity.
The dildo was thrown with enough velocity to raise real safety concerns. Critics have questioned how it passed through arena security and whether the throw was premeditated. The WNBA has yet to release an official statement, though league officials have confirmed an ongoing investigation.
The incident underscores the vulnerability of players in close-proximity arenas and raises new urgency for improved safeguards and fan accountability in professional sports.
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