A tightly contested WNBA game between the Atlanta Dream and the Golden State Valkyries took an unexpected turn Tuesday night when a sex toy was thrown onto the court, briefly halting play in the final minute.
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The bizarre moment occurred at Gateway Center Arena in College Park with the score tied late in the fourth quarter. An object— later identified as a neon green sex toy — came flying from the upper seating area and bounced near the free throw line before coming to rest near the bench area.
Play continued for several seconds before officials blew the whistle once the ball went out of bounds. Broadcast cameras captured a close-up of the object before quickly cutting away, and arena security soon removed it from the floor.
What on earth is happening at the Valkyries-Dream game…
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 30, 2025
Neither team appeared rattled by the strange interruption, though fans and players alike were visibly confused. The game resumed shortly afterward.
Golden State ultimately came away with a 77-75 road win thanks to a clutch jumper from Cecilia Zandalasini with 3.9 seconds remaining. The Valkyries improved to 14-11 in their inaugural season, while the Dream dropped to 9-16.
While incidents involving thrown objects are nothing new in sports — and similar items have occasionally shown up at NFL or college football games — this is believed to be the first known occurrence of its kind in a WNBA setting.
League officials have yet to comment on the incident. It remains unclear who threw the object or whether any disciplinary action will be taken.
