Latest news with #ConnecticutSuns
Yahoo
11-08-2025
- Yahoo
18-Year-Old Man Arrested For Allegedly Hitting Patrons With Sex Toy During WNBA Game
Authorities have arrested an 18-year-old man who allegedly threw a sex toy at a WNBA game, which hit an older man and his nine-year-old niece. The arrest occurred during the Phoenix Mercury and Connecticut Suns game on August 5, making it the sixth time a WNBA game has been interrupted this season by disruptive fan conduct. Police Arrest An 18-Year-Old Man In Arizona After Allegedly Throwing A Sex Toy During A WNBA Game According to Fox 10 Phoenix, Arizona authorities arrested Kaden Lopez at PHX Arena after they claimed he threw a sex toy in front of him, striking game watchers. Police said video footage captured Lopez retrieving a "green d-ldo from his sweater front pocket" before tossing it forward. Witnesses told authorities that they followed Lopez out of the arena before tackling him, essentially forcing him to wait for police to arrive on the scene. Police also told Fox 10 that they spoke with the victim, who expressed his displeasure with Lopez's alleged actions. "The adult male victim was interviewed. He stated he was watching the WNBA game with his 9-year-old niece, when something hit his back and then fell to the ground next to them. He then realized the object that hit him was a d-ldo. He desires prosecution," the legal documents stated. Lopez was reportedly apologetic and said he foolishly took part in a "stupid prank that was trending on social media." The 18-year-old was booked into a Phoenix jail on suspicion of disorderly conduct, assault, and public display of sexual material. Another Man Was Arrested For Displaying Sexual Conduct At A WNBA Game The alleged incident involving Lopez isn't the first time the WNBA has addressed fan conduct of this nature. In fact, over the last several weeks, there has been an influx of sexual material inside arenas. The first reported incident occurred during the Golden State Valkyries game against the Atlanta Dream. The following day, another d-ldo was tossed onto the court during the Valkyries' contest against the Chicago Sky. According to USA Today, the WNBA identified the subject involved in the first incident as Delbert Carver, 23, who was later arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, public indecency/indecent exposure, and criminal trespass. The WNBA Responds To The Flying Objects The WNBA later released a statement following the multiple instances of flying objects. "The safety and well-being of everyone in our arenas is a top priority for our league," the league said. "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." Players And League Officials Condemn The Behavior And the WNBA isn't alone in its frustration with what's been occurring inside arenas. Los Angeles Sparks coach Lynee Roberts called it "ridiculous ... dumb ... [and] stupid." "It's also dangerous. Player safety is No. 1, respecting the game, all those things. I think it's really stupid," she said. Chicago Sky player Elizabeth Williams called it "super disrespectful." "I don't really get the point of it. It's really immature. Whoever is doing it needs to grow up," she continued. Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham spoke about the dangers it presents, while New York Liberty player Isabelle Harrison called on arena security to step up their efforts. "Hello??! Please do better. It's not funny. never was funny. Throwing ANYTHING on the court is so dangerous," Harrison posted. Some Players Are Trying To Find The Positives Meanwhile, some WNBA players are trying to find the positives amid the current situation. For example, Aces player Sydney Colson created an Instagram account, "The Official Mean Green," poking fun at the matter. Another player, Theresa Plaisance, also chimed in about the situation during a recent podcast and said, "The WNBA is making headlines for something completely out of the green. For balls that we're not used to seeing on WNBA courts." Colson jokingly called the situation a "nightmare" before saying "the mean green was catapulted onto the court from the stands during live action."
Associated Press
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever beat the Sun as the WNBA shows off its star in Boston
BOSTON (AP) — Caitlin Clark struggled in her first-ever visit to Boston — a performance that didn't seem to spoil the mood of the fans who filled TD Garden on Tuesday night for a rare WNBA game in the home of the Celtics and Bruins. Instead of Lucky the Leprechaun and the Boston Celtics' iconic parquet, the Garden floor featured the logos of the WNBA and Connecticut Suns — the league's only New England team — as they hosted a game in Boston for the second year in a row. Both have been sellouts of 19,156 — the biggest crowds to see a basketball game in the building's history. And this year, it was the visiting Indiana Fever and their breakout star that most of them were there to see. 'It's a great opportunity for people in the city, or fans around the area, to come and support a team here,' Clark said before the game. 'You don't take these opportunities for granted. It's always fun to go to a new arena in a new place and enjoy it.' Fans wearing Clark's No. 22 crowded toward the court before the game trying to get her autograph, waving her jersey or homemade signs begging for a selfie. Among those in attendance were Celtics Jaylen Brown and Georges Niang, Bruins Jeremy Swayman and Mason Lohrei, Red Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito and Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey. Clark scored 14 points on 4 for 14 shooting, adding seven assists and eight rebounds for the Fever, who pulled away in the fourth quarter to win 85-77. She committed one of her five turnovers on the Fever's first possession and another when she stepped on the sideline at the end of the third quarter — guarded too closely to launch one of her logo 3-pointers. She went 1 for 7 from beyond the arc and did not connect on a 3 until she gave the Fever an 80-71 lead with three minutes left — their biggest lead of the game. Natasha Howard scored 18 points with 13 rebounds for Indiana. Tina Charles had 21 points and 11 rebounds for the Sun, who beat the Los Angeles Sparks in Boston in front of a sold-out crowd last year but have stumbled to a 3-19 record this season — the worst in the league. Clark said before the game that she took time to appreciate the opportunity to play in a building where so much basketball lore had been written. The Iowa native said she grew up respecting the Celtics as an organization, even though she now counts herself an Indiana Pacers fan. 'The Celtics are one of the premier organizations of the NBA,' she said. 'And having won a championship two years ago now, it's kind of cool to just be in this building and surround yourself with the greatness that has played in this arena.' The Celtics won it all in 2024 shooting an NBA record number of 3-pointers — something Clark, whose long-distance shooting made her a breakout star for the Hawkeyes and in her first two years in the WNBA, could appreciate. 'I'm a Pacers fan. I just want to make that clear. But as I've been growing up, they've been a fun team to root for,' she said. 'They're really fun to watch. They shoot a lot of 3s, which maybe people make an argument against. But for myself, I think that's fun. I enjoy that. I think it's a great style of basketball.' Clark said she had never been to Boston and would have liked to take in a Red Sox game at Fenway Park, but baseball is off for the All-Star break. She searched on TikTok for things to do in Boston, but it will have to wait until next time. 'It seems like an amazing city,' she said. 'I would love to come back here and explore a little bit more in the history of it and all the amazing things that you can do.' That could be a while, because the city that is home to an unprecedented 18 NBA championships doesn't have a team in the WNBA; the Sun are the league's sole representative in New England, the birthplace of basketball. Fever All-Star Aliyah Boston, a three-time Massachusetts Player of the Year while at Worcester Academy before winning an NCAA championship at South Carolina, said she believed her namesake town could support a WNBA team. 'When you look at the atmosphere for the Celtics, when you look at the atmosphere for the two TD Garden games that now we've had, it's been sold out. It's been energy,' she said. 'They obviously have been great, and I think that's going to be the same all the time.' ___ AP WNBA:
