The WNBA has found itself at the center of a bizarre and disruptive controversy as a string of games have been interrupted by the tossing of neon-colored sex toys onto the court. Over the past ten days, at least six games have been affected by these incidents, all traced back to a marketing campaign orchestrated by a pseudonymous group behind the Green Dildo Coin, a meme cryptocurrency launched in late July 2025.
The first of these stunts occurred on July 29, 2025, during a matchup between the Atlanta Dream and the Golden State Valkyries, when a bright green dildo emblazoned with the project’s hashtag landed on the court. According to ESPN and USA Today, the group had coordinated the disruption to coincide with the launch of their coin, aiming to capitalize on shock value and viral attention rather than traditional influencer marketing. As one anonymous spokesperson for the group told USA Today, "We knew that in order to get a voice in the space ... we had to go out and do some viral stunts to save us from having to pay that influencer cabal, sacrifice our souls and the fate of the project, more or less."
Since that initial incident, the campaign has only escalated. Sex toys have been thrown at games involving the Chicago Sky, Phoenix Mercury, Los Angeles Sparks, New York Liberty, and Dallas Wings, with some games seeing multiple objects make it onto the court. The most recent disruptions occurred on August 7, 2025, at the Wintrust Arena during the Chicago Sky versus Atlanta Dream game, when both a green and a purple dildo were thrown—one hitting the Dream's bench, the other landing near the court as the final seconds ticked away. By that point, the total number of sex toys thrown onto WNBA courts had reached at least five.
The incidents have not gone unnoticed by league officials, players, or coaches. Los Angeles Sparks coach Lynne Roberts did not mince words at a press conference on August 5, 2025. "It's ridiculous. It's dumb. It's stupid," she said. "It's also dangerous, and you know, player safety is No. 1, respecting the game, all those things. I think it's really stupid." Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham echoed these concerns, posting on X, "Stop throwing dildos on the court. You're going to hurt one of us."
Law enforcement has been quick to respond, resulting in two arrests so far. Delbert Carver, a 23-year-old Georgia resident, was arrested on August 1, 2025, after allegedly throwing a sex toy during an Atlanta Dream vs. Phoenix Mercury game. Carver also confessed to police that he was responsible for the July 29 incident. He faces charges including disorderly conduct, public indecency, and criminal trespass. Meanwhile, 18-year-old Kaden Lopez was apprehended in Phoenix after he threw a green sex toy into the stands during a Mercury game, striking a man who was attending with his nine-year-old niece. Lopez later described his actions as a "stupid prank that was trending on social media," admitting he had purchased the toy the day before the game.
Despite the arrests, the Green Dildo Coin group claims that neither Carver nor Lopez are official members. In interviews with ESPN and USA Today, group representatives distanced themselves from the individuals, suggesting that the viral nature of the incidents had inspired copycats. "It was more or less like an opportunistic approach to, you know, what is already trending," said a spokesperson using the alias Lt. Daldo Raine. "Where is there already controversy, and how do we intercept some of that attention? We wanted to really make memes funny again." The group has openly mocked women’s sports in online chats and livestreams, with some members making derogatory comments about WNBA players and strategizing future stunts at other high-profile events, including the Boston Marathon, a Lady Gaga concert, and even Wimbledon.
The group’s Telegram channel, which boasts just over 1,000 members, has served as a hub for planning and celebrating these disruptions. Posts reviewed by ESPN show community members sharing livestream links to games, brainstorming new targets, and even discussing bets placed on when and where the next incident would occur. According to the group, some members placed and won bets on a Panama-based sportsbook that offered markets on the color and timing of the next sex toy toss.
While the group insists their campaign is a form of protest against what they describe as a "toxic environment" in the crypto world, critics see it as yet another example of the sexualization of women in sports. Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve addressed the issue directly with reporters, stating, "This has been going on for centuries, the sexualization of women. This is the latest version of that. And it's not funny. These people that are doing this should be held accountable. ... They're the problem, and we need to take action."
The WNBA has responded with strong warnings and updated security measures. In a statement, the league emphasized, "The safety and well-being of everyone in our arenas is a top priority for our league. Objects of any kind thrown onto the court or in the seating area can pose a safety risk for players, game officials, and fans. In line with WNBA Arena Security Standards, any fan who intentionally throws an object onto the court will be immediately ejected and face a minimum one-year ban in addition to being subject to arrest and prosecution by local authorities." The Los Angeles Sparks echoed this stance, vowing to work with arena personnel to identify and take action against those responsible.
Meanwhile, the Green Dildo Coin itself has surged in popularity. According to CoinGecko, the coin’s 24-hour trading volume hit $1.23 million on August 8, 2025, up 28.5% from the previous day, and its price has soared by nearly 194% in the past week. Google Trends reports a staggering 3,700% increase in U.S. search interest for "green dildo" since the campaign began. The group claims this is proof of their marketing success, though their social media presence remains modest, with fewer than 900 followers on X.
As the saga continues, the group claims it is shifting its focus away from the WNBA, hinting at "lighter" and "more tasteful" pranks at other major public events. Whether this marks the end of the WNBA’s so-called "dildo epidemic" remains to be seen. For now, the league, its players, and its fans are left grappling with the aftermath of a marketing stunt that has tested the boundaries of sportsmanship, safety, and respect on the national stage.
