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Sophie Cunningham breaks silence on being hit by sex toy at WNBA game: ‘That thing actually…’
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham had a disturbing encounter during a game, days after warning fans about the dangers of tossing sex toys onto the court.
In a shocking moment during Tuesday’s Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) matchup between the Indiana Fever and Los Angeles Sparks, Sophie Cunningham was struck by a sex toy, just days after she publicly urged fans to stop throwing such items onto the court, per New York Post.
Sophie Cunningham breaks silence after being hit by sex toy
Cunningham, who is in her first season with the Fever after being traded from the Phoenix Mercury, was preparing for an inbounds pass during the second quarter at the Crypto.com Arena when the sex toy made contact with her ankle. The 28-year-old later addressed the incident on her Instagram Story, writing, “No way that thing actually hit me. I knew I shouldn’t have tweeted that.”
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Sophie Cunningham’s tweet
Four days prior to the incident, Cunningham took to X (formerly Twitter) to criticize the concerning trend and wrote, “Stop throwing dildos on the court… you’re going to hurt one of us.” After Tuesday’s unexpected incident, she reposted her tweet and wrote, “This did NOT age well.”
Growing trend sparks concern
What happened to Cunningham was not an isolated incident, stated a Yahoo report. On the same night, an object was reportedly thrown during the Liberty vs Wings game at Barclays Center in New York’s Brooklyn, though it did not reach the court.
Sparks All-Star Kelsey Plum reacted quickly during the Cunningham incident by kicking the object off the court. Sparks coach Lynne Roberts condemned the act, saying, “It is ridiculous, it is dumb… also dangerous.” Roberts said player safety was of utmost importance and added that the act is “really stupid.”
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WNBA and law enforcement's response
The NY Post report added that the WNBA was now working with law enforcement to clamp down on the dangerous trend. Following a separate incident during the Dream-Valkyries game on July 29, one fan was arrested for throwing a sex toy onto the court.
In a statement, the WNBA had cautioned that any object thrown on the court poses a safety risk and stated any fan indulging in such an act will be promptly removed from the arena and face a ban of a minimum of one year, plus possible arrest.
FAQs:
Q: Why are fans throwing sex toys at WNBA games?
A: The motive is unclear, though it appears to be a viral stunt. Players and league officials have condemned the behavior.
Q: Has anyone been punished for these actions?
A: Yes. One fan was arrested during a previous game and received a league ban.
Q: What is the WNBA doing to stop it?
A: Security measures have increased, and the league has implemented a one-year minimum ban for violators.
Q: How are players reacting?
A: Players like Sophie Cunningham and Isabelle Harrison have publicly expressed frustration, calling it unsafe and unprofessional.
