Sophie Cunningham has built a reputation in the WNBA as someone who does not back down from physical play or uncomfortable conversations.
Still, even for a veteran guard, last season produced a moment she never imagined would be part of her professional experience.
During a recent appearance on Sunday Conversation, Cunningham reflected on the bizarre neon green object incidents that briefly interrupted multiple games and became one of the strangest storylines the league has seen.
Cunningham joined host Caleb Pressley for a candid discussion that bounced between humor and reflection.
At one point, Pressley jokingly asked whether she had ever hurt her hands dealing with the green objects that had been thrown onto the court during games.
The exchange quickly turned more direct when he asked what the objects actually were.
Cunningham did not hesitate in her answer, identifying them as “d*ildos,” confirming what many had already assumed when clips circulated on social media last summer.
While the tone of the conversation was light, her reaction made clear that the moment itself was unsettling when it happened.
“It kinda scared me. I wasn’t expecting a dildo to be thrown at me, especially during a game,” she said.
The line drew laughs, but it also captured how jarring the situation was for players in the moment.
In the middle of a professional game, focus narrows to spacing, timing, and execution.
There is no preparation for something falling onto the court that has nothing to do with basketball.
The WNBA first encountered the phenomenon on July 29, when a neon green sex toy dropped onto the floor during a game between the Atlanta Dream and the Golden State Valkyries.
The incident stunned players and officials alike, briefly stopping play as arena staff removed the object.
What might have ended as an isolated moment quickly became something larger.
When the moment followed Cunningham onto the floor
Just days later, the strange trend resurfaced in a way that made it personal for Cunningham.
On Aug. 5, during a game between the Indiana Fever and the Los Angeles Sparks, another neon green sex toy landed on the court late in the second quarter.
With two minutes remaining before halftime, the object dropped near Cunningham, immediately drawing attention from the crowd and players.
The Fever went on to lose that game 100-91, but the score quickly became secondary to what had just happened.
For Cunningham, the interruption was not only distracting but uncomfortable, breaking concentration at a critical point in the game.
It created a situation players should never have to manage.
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