The Chicago Sky’s home contest against the Golden State Valkyries was interrupted in the third quarter Friday night when multiple sex toys were thrown onto the court at Wintrust Arena, the second consecutive night a WNBA game has been disrupted by a similar incident.
Arena personnel removed the items while players remained on the floor. The brief delay did not prevent the Sky from securing a dramatic 73-70 victory, capped by Sydney Taylor’s go-ahead 3-pointer in the final seconds. Natasha Cloud led Chicago with 17 points, while Taylor and Kamilla Cardoso each scored 14. The Sky improved to 15-22 and extended their winning streak to three games. The second-place Valkyries fell to 25-11.
The disruption marked the second straight night of such an interruption. On Thursday, the Atlanta Dream’s 124-88 win over the Los Angeles Sparks was halted in the third quarter when an object was thrown onto the court as Sparks guard Jihyun Park prepared to shoot free throws. A male spectator was detained by arena security in Los Angeles, received a citation, and was released; reports indicate the individual also faces an indefinite ban from WNBA, NBA, and affiliated events.
These incidents echo a series of disruptions during the 2025 season, when similar objects were thrown onto or toward the court in multiple games in Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, and other markets. Some of those cases resulted in arrests. A group linked to cryptocurrency promotion previously claimed responsibility for many of the earlier incidents.
After Friday’s game, Sky guard Natasha Cloud addressed the matter directly. “That hate is unwarranted … and it says more about the internal struggles of that individual than it ever will say about the collective group,” Cloud said. “And the men that are throwing it, it shows that you are weak. Like, extremely weak. And it says a lot about how you feel about women.”
League and arena security protocols treat any object thrown onto the court as a serious safety issue for players, officials, and fans. The WNBA has previously stated that individuals who intentionally throw objects will be ejected, face a minimum one-year ban, and may be subject to arrest and prosecution by local authorities.
The Sky next host the Indiana Fever on Sunday as they continue their late-season push.
