NBA Bans Two Fans After Court Incursion During Finals Game

Victor Wembanyama (Image Via Getty)

The NBA has handed out lifetime bans to two fans after an unusual incident interrupted Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night. One fan ran onto the court at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio and tried to take a selfie with San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama during the fourth quarter. The person was arrested and will no longer be allowed into any NBA arena, according to an NBA spokesperson. The interruption happened with 6:28 left in the game as the New York Knicks were leading the Spurs 92-86. The fan entered the court holding a cellphone and made his way toward Wembanyama and Knicks center Mitchell Robinson near the three-point line. Security guards quickly stepped in and removed him before the photo could be taken. The NBA later confirmed that another person involved in the incident would also receive a lifetime ban.

Victor Wembanyama reacts after fan runs onto court during New York Knicks vs San Antonio Spurs NBA Finals game

Television replays showed Victor Wembanyama looking surprised as the fan approached him with a phone. The Spurs star later admitted that he had never experienced anything like it before. “I’ve never been in that situation,” Wembanyama said. “I didn’t know how to act. It really surprised me, almost as much as that time a bat crossed the court.” The unexpected moment briefly stopped play. However, the delay became longer because another situation unfolded at nearly the same time. Spurs guard Dylan Harper lost control of the ball while being defended by Knicks forward Mikal Bridges shortly before the fan reached the court. After discussing the play, the officiating crew said it could not determine which team had possession when the action stopped. Officials decided to restart the game with a jump ball at center court. Wembanyama won the tip, and play resumed. On Thursday, the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that the fan who entered the court was a juvenile. Officials also said they could not discuss further details because of legal restrictions involving minors. Despite the attention surrounding the incident, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson did not see it as a major issue. “I don’t think it was an event at all,” Johnson said. “I thought security got him out of there. I think everybody moved on to the next play.” The Knicks eventually closed out a 105-95 victory and took a 1-0 lead in the NBA Finals series, while the fan incident became one of the night’s biggest talking points.