Play at Crypto.com Arena stopped Thursday night with 2:59 left in the third quarter after what appeared to be a green sex toy landed on the court near Los Angeles Sparks forward Jihyun Park, who was standing at the free-throw line at the time. A man wearing a home Lakers No. 77 Luka Doncic jersey was identified as the alleged thrower and was seen fleeing up the stairs in Section 111 as security guards and other staffers trailed him, before he was apprehended.
The disruption during the Atlanta Dream's 124-88 win over the Sparks was first detailed by the New York Post, whose report captured much of the scene inside the arena. A referee blew the whistle after the object landed and pointed toward it, and a security staffer covered it with a towel before removing both from the court. Sparks forward Cameron Brink reportedly kicked the object toward the out-of-bounds line as officials worked to clear the floor.
Angel Reese, watching from the Dream bench, was heard telling teammates to “get him, right there” as she pointed out the fleeing fan, according to the Post's account. A broadcaster covering the game remarked that “security has made quick work of this” as the man was chased down; he reportedly bumped into a security guard while trying to exit before he was caught. The Big Lead reported that Amazon Prime Video's broadcast showed Reese laughing on the bench after alerting security, joking with teammate Naz Hillmon about the size of the object.
Reese's Historic Night Nearly Overshadowed
The disruption came during a game that also featured a record-setting performance from Reese, who went 9-for-9 from the field, according to the Associated Press. That mark set a franchise record for field goals without a miss and made her just the third player in WNBA history to record a 20-point double-double while shooting 100 percent from the floor. Reese finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists as Atlanta routed Los Angeles.
The security response was consistent with the WNBA's own conduct rules, which have been reinforced after a wave of similar incidents last summer. The league has said that fans who intentionally throw objects onto the court will be immediately ejected and face a minimum one-year ban, and that violators may also face arrest and prosecution by local authorities. League officials have stated that the safety and well-being of everyone in WNBA arenas is a top priority, warning that objects thrown onto the court or into seating areas can pose a genuine safety risk.
A Trend That Started With a Meme Coin
Thursday's incident echoes a pattern that first emerged during the 2025 WNBA season, when sex-toy throws disrupted at least six games in cities including Atlanta, Chicago, Phoenix, New York and Los Angeles, as reported by The Washington Post. Those incidents targeted players including Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham and interrupted multiple live broadcasts. An anonymous group promoting a cryptocurrency meme coin called Green Dildo Coin claimed responsibility for organizing the stunts, which reportedly generated more than $1.5 million in trading volume within 48 hours of the coin's launch, with a spokesperson saying the goal was to intercept public attention around trending sports controversies.
The legal consequences from that first wave were severe. In August 2025, 23-year-old Delbert Carver was arrested in Georgia and charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct, criminal trespass, public indecency and indecent exposure after throwing a sex toy during a Dream home game, according to Sports Illustrated; he was booked into the Clayton County Jail following an investigation into a July 29, 2025 incident. Days later, Phoenix police arrested 18-year-old Kaden Lopez after a thrown sex toy struck a male spectator and his 9-year-old niece during a Phoenix Mercury game, charging him with assault, disorderly conduct and public display of explicit sexual material; the outlet's report noted Lopez later apologized, describing his actions as a social media trend.
What California Law and League Rules Say
In California, throwing objects onto the court can carry criminal exposure beyond league discipline. Under Penal Code Section 243.83, it is unlawful for any spectator at a professional sporting event to throw an object on or across the court with intent to interfere with play or distract a player, and the statute requires venues to prominently post notices of prohibited conduct and its legal consequences, per Justia Law.
Players and coaches have been vocal about the danger and disrespect the trend represents. After last summer's incidents, Chicago Sky center Elizabeth Williams called the actions “disrespectful and immature,” while Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts warned that thrown objects create dangerous safety hazards for athletes, according to CBC News. The WNBA's Fan Code of Conduct spells out that spectators who throw objects or attempt to enter the court face immediate ejection without refund, season ticket revocation, arena-wide bans and prosecution under local ordinances.
Hoodline previously covered a similar disruption during a Sparks-Fever matchup that targeted Cunningham, part of the broader pattern documented across last year's games. Thursday's arrest at Crypto.com Arena suggests the viral stunt, despite the legal risk already demonstrated in Georgia and Arizona, has not fully disappeared from WNBA arenas even a year later.
