An individual was briefly detained at Wintrust Arena after Thursday’s game between the Chicago Sky and Atlanta Dream in response to another incident of a sex toy being thrown on the court.
Two objects were thrown toward the court during the fourth quarter of Thursday’s game, which the Sky lost 86-65. One green sex toy landed behind the Dream bench. Another pink object landed on the court during live action, forcing the game to be paused with 5.9 seconds left. Both incidents occurred while players were in action on the court.
Security members detained one suspect shortly after the game ended, per a league source, but the individual was released after questioning. No arrests have been made in any of the incidents of sex toys being thrown on or toward the court at Wintrust Arena over the past week.
Monterrey Security is contracted to provide security for all games at Wintrust Arena. The company coordinates with the Sky’s personal security team and the Chicago Police Department during Sky games.
A similar incident occurred in Friday’s Sky game against the Golden State Valkyries. A green sex toy was thrown onto the Wintrust Arena court with 7:42 remaining in the third quarter and landed near players during a transition play. A suspect was identified but had fled the premises before they could be detained, per a league source. Chicago police have not taken further action.
At least six WNBA games have been interrupted by a sex toy being thrown on or toward the court over the last 10 days. A group of crypto traders is claiming at least partial responsibility for the trend, which they say is meant to spur interest in a meme coin.
In an anonymous interview with USA Today, the creators of this meme coin claimed there is nothing sexist about the pattern of sex toys being thrown at WNBA games. However, the same incident has not been repeated at any of the MLB games occurring over the last 10 days, nor was it attempted at Thursday’s NFL preseason games in Philadelphia and Seattle.
Two men have been arrested in relation to these incidents. Carver, 23, was arrested for throwing a sex toy during a July 29 game in Atlanta, and Kaden Lopez, 18, was arrested for throwing one during a game Tuesday in Phoenix. Carver is facing charges of disorderly conduct, public indecency, indecent exposure and criminal trespass. Lopez — who struck a fan while throwing the sex toy — will face charges of disorderly conduct, assault and public display of explicit sexual material.
The WNBA is also threatening a minimum of a one-year ban for any fans who throw objects on the court in upcoming games.
Players and coaches across the league have taken a strong stance against this trend. Sky center Elizabeth Williams described the first incident in Chicago as “super disrespectful” and “immature.” Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve decried the pattern for upholding the “sexualization of women.”
How does the WNBA solve its sex toy problem? What to know about arrests and security.
Sky guard Ariel Atkins put a slightly more positive spin on the topic ahead of Thursday’s game, noting that the crypto connection hints at the rise in popularity of the WNBA.
“We’ve come to the point where people are using our games to get publicity,” Atkins said with a laugh. “We weren’t doing that a year ago. We weren’t doing that five years ago. So as terrible as it is, that’s kind of my thought process behind it.”
But Atkins was also quick to add that she finds the trend immature — and to dole out her preferred punishment: “If it hits somebody, then somebody’s going to jail.”
Originally Published: August 7, 2025 at 11:02 PM CDT