For the second consecutive night, a WNBA game was disrupted on August 21, 2026, when multiple sex toys were thrown onto the court during the Chicago Sky’s 73-70 victory over the Golden State Valkyries at Wintrust Arena, prompting sharp rebukes from players.
Third-Quarter Disruption at Wintrust Arena
The Chicago Sky’s home matchup against the Golden State Valkyries took an unusual turn on Friday night when spectators hurled objects onto the playing surface. At least three green sex toys were tossed toward the floor during the third quarter, with at least one landing directly on the court, as reported by Front Office Sports.
Players stayed on the court while arena personnel removed the items, allowing the game to resume. The incident occurred just one night after a similar disruption delayed a game between the Los Angeles Sparks and Atlanta Dream at Crypto.com Arena, where a green sex toy flew through the air in front of Sparks forward Jihyun Park while she stood at the free-throw line.
The disturbances mirror a broader trend from the previous season, when green sex toys were thrown onto WNBA courts in six games between late July and early August in connection with a cryptocurrency scheme. While Friday’s ION broadcast did not mention the incident and focused instead on the Sky’s victory, the Chicago Sky are reviewing camera footage to identify the person responsible.
Natasha Cloud and Teammates Denounce the Behavior
Following the final buzzer, Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud did not hold back her frustration regarding the spectators responsible for the stunt, describing the actions in stark terms during her postgame remarks.
Y’all lame as [expletive],
said Cloud, who led the Sky with 17 points. In most of these occasions, it’s men. And I want you to know that the gayest thing you can do is to go to a sex shop, buy a dildo and come to a women’s game and throw the dildo on the court.
Cloud expanded on her criticism, connecting the behavior to broader societal animosity. I’m a firm believer that anyone that has so much of a problem with a marginalized group, just come out and say that you’re a part of our group, because the hate is unwarranted,
Cloud said. It says more about the internal struggles of the individual than it ever will say about the collective group.
The men that are throwing it, it also shows that you are weak — like, extremely weak — and it says a lot about how you feel about women. She
Teammate Sydney Taylor also weighed in on the antics, dismissing the behavior as “corny.” The disruptions come on the heels of swift security enforcement in Los Angeles, where the person responsible for Thursday’s court toss was detained by arena security, received a citation, was arrested, and received an indefinite lifetime ban from all NBA, WNBA, and affiliated league games and events. Separately, video circulated showing fans at Wintrust Arena booing whoever threw the items in Chicago.
On-Court Action Overshadows the Controversy
Despite the unexpected delays, the game itself delivered a dramatic conclusion. Sydney Taylor secured the 73-70 victory for the Sky by draining a pair of 3s in the final moments, overcoming the No. 2 Valkyries with a game-winning shot.
Taylor finished the night with 14 points as one of four starters to score in double digits, while veteran guard Natasha Cloud led all scorers with 17 points to help Chicago overcome Golden State. The win improves Chicago’s record to 15-22, while the Valkyries sit at 25-11. The Sky will ride a three-game winning streak into their matchup against the Indiana Fever, who hold a 24-13 record, in Chicago on Sunday.
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