LOS ANGELES — For the third time in eight days, a bright green sex toy was hurled onto the court at a WNBA game.

This incident took place after a free throw by Kelsey Plum with about two minutes to play in the first half of Los Angeles’ game against the Indiana Fever. The toy sailed from behind the Sparks’ baseline onto the court, just missing Fever guard Sophie Cunningham. Plum immediately kicked it out of play.

Crypto.com Arena security rushed up the lower bowl to catch the offender. After watching the arena’s video footage, security personnel later told The Athletic that the individual fled from the arena promptly after throwing the object.

Cunningham went to the sideline where she laughed with teammates and the L.A. bench, but the game resumed without much delay.

The league did not respond Tuesday night to a request for comment about the situation.

“It’s ridiculous, it’s dumb, it’s stupid,” Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said postgame. “It’s also dangerous. Player safety is number one, respecting the game, all those things. I think it’s really stupid.”

Plum said she wanted to ignore the incident.

“I thought we did a great job, Indiana included, just playing on,” she said. “Don’t give it any attention. The refs, I really appreciate them, too, it’s just like, hey, let’s go.”

An X video shows a similar object confiscated in the stands at the Liberty game on Tuesday, and other social media users claimed there was an attempt to throw one at the Mercury game, which was being played at the same time of the Sparks’ contest.

What happened in previous incidents?

At least one person has been arrested for throwing a sex toy onto a WNBA court, according to the league. The league issued a statement after the incident in Chicago, asserting that any person throwing objects onto the court would be ejected from the arena and subjected to a one-year ban from games.

At the Dream game on July 29 against the Golden State Valkyries, a similar sex toy was thrown onto the court and interrupted the game with less than a minute left in the fourth quarter. A security guard removed it from the Chase Center court in San Francisco after television cameras zoomed in and briefly aired it before cutting away.

On Friday at Chicago’s Wintrust Arena during the third quarter of a Sky-Valkyries game, officials stopped play after Valkyries guard Kate Martin missed a deep 3-pointer when the toy was thrown from the stands and landed along the baseline by the Sky’s basket. A referee kicked it out of the way and a Sky equipment staffer removed it.

The league issued a statement after the second incident. “The safety and well-being of everyone in our arenas is a top priority for our league,” the statement read. “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.”

Many arenas have a no-bag or clear-bag policy, and attendees are subject to search.

What are players saying?

Since the first incident in Atlanta on July 29, when it seemed like a one-time oddity, players’ reactions have evolved on the confusing trend, changing from bemused — Golden State’s Cecilia Zandalisini said the players were laughing even though the act itself was dangerous — to disrespected by the encroachments on their workplace.

“It’s super disrespectful,” Sky center Elizabeth Williams said after the second incident, in Chicago on Friday. “I don’t really get the point of it. It’s really immature. Whoever’s doing it just needs to grow up.”

New York Liberty forward Isabelle Harrison posted on Friday to her X account: “ARENA SECURITY?! Hello??! Please do better. It’s not funny. Never was funny. Throwing ANYTHING on the court is so dangerous.”

Cunningham had previously weighed in, asking for consideration of player safety. “you’re going to hurt one of us,” she had posted on X.

(Photo: Erica Denhoff / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)