Fan who threw sex toy on the court during a WNBA game faces multiple charges
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In the Atlanta Dream’s 77-75 loss to the Golden State Valkyries on July 29, a sex toy was tossed onto the court during game action.
PHOTO: AFP
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Georgia – The spectator accused of throwing a sex toy onto the floor of a Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) game last week in College Park, Georgia, faces multiple criminal charges.
College Park police arrested Delbert Carver, 23, on Aug 2, and he was released from Clayton County Jail in Jonesboro, Georgia, a day later on bond, according to multiple media reports on Aug 4.
Carver is reportedly charged with disorderly conduct, public indecency/indecent exposure, and criminal trespass. The case is considered “pending” with a court date yet to be established.
In the Atlanta Dream’s 77-75 loss to the Golden State Valkyries on July 29, a sex toy was tossed onto the court during the game. Play was not impacted before the object was removed.
The WNBA said in a statement: “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.”
A similar incident occurred in another Valkyries road game on Aug 1, a 73-66 victory over the Chicago Sky.
No arrests were made in relation to that occurrence, and Chicago police told ESPN on Aug 4, “We don’t see a call of service for that incident”.
Meanwhile, Stephen Pagliuca has confirmed his Boston-based group’s interest in purchasing the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun.
In a statement issued on Aug 3, the group acknowledged that no deal has been reached with the Sun’s owner Mohegan Tribe, a Native American tribe, and that his “record-setting offer” remains subject to league approval.
Multiple outlets reported on Aug 2 that the offer was for US$325 million (S$418.7 million), which would be the most ever paid for a professional women’s sports franchise. Pagliuca’s group also plans to contribute another US$100 million to build a practice facility, said the reports.
Pagliuca, a minority owner of National Basketball Association team Boston Celtics, posted an update of the “possible acquisition” by his PagsGroup on X on Aug 3.
“An investor group led by PagsGroup, and supported by Massachusetts Governor Maura Healy and Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee, has offered to acquire the Connecticut Sun with the objective of keeping New England’s WNBA team in New England,” the statement read. “No transaction has been agreed yet.”
The statement, although it did not specifically name Boston as a new home for the franchise, said the group’s goal is “to play in larger capacity arenas in New England”.
“We believe our record-setting offer and deep commitment to growing the WNBA in the region that is home to the most passionate basketball fans in the nation will significantly benefit the league, the team, and all its fans,” read the PagsGroup’s update.
The Sun have called Connecticut home since 2003. They play home games at Mohegan Sun Arena, a 10,000-seat facility in Uncasville, Connecticut.
The weekend reports said the Sun could begin playing at TD Garden, the 19,000-seat home of the Celtics, as early as 2027.
A league spokesperson confirmed to media outlet Front Office Sports that nothing has been approved yet.
“Relocation decisions are made by the WNBA Board of Governors and not by individual teams,” read the statement.
“As part of our most recent expansion process, in which three new franchises were awarded to Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia on June 30, 2025, nine additional cities also applied for WNBA teams and remain under active consideration.
“No groups from Boston applied for a team at that time and those other cities remain under consideration based on the extensive work they did as part of the expansion process and currently have priority over Boston.”
“Celtics prospective owner Bill Chisholm has also reached out to the league office and asked that Boston receive strong consideration for a WNBA franchise at the appropriate time,” the statement concluded.
The Sun hold the league’s worst record at 5-22 this season after making the play-offs in each of the eight previous campaigns. REUTERS
