Play in the fourth quarter of Wednesday night’s NBA Finals Game 1 between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks stopped briefly after a fan ran onto the Frost Bank Center court and attempted to take a selfie with Victor Wembanyama.
The Knicks went on to win 105-95 to take a 1-0 series lead.
The incident happened with 6:28 left in the game while New York held a 92-86 advantage. The fan sprinted onto the floor holding a cellphone in his right hand and came to a stop in front of Wembanyama and Knicks center Mitchell Robinson near the 3-point line.
Two security guards quickly intercepted and pushed the fan away as he tried to take the picture.
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Replays showed Wembanyama appearing confused and smiling at the phone as the fan approached him on the court.
“I’ve never been in that situation,” Wembanyama said afterward. “I didn’t know how to act. It really surprised me, almost as much as that time [when] a bat crossed the court,” he said, referencing a January 2024 game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Once security detained the fan, the game faced a longer stoppage. Seconds before the interruption, Spurs guard Dylan Harper had lost control of the ball while being defended by Knicks forward Mikal Bridges.
The officiating crew conferred to determine possession and ultimately ruled for a jump ball at center court, since they could not decide which team last touched the ball. Wembanyama won the tip, allowing play to resume.
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Afterward, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson downplayed the moment when asked about the interruption.
“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.”
Wembanyama discussed his own performance in addition to his reaction to the unusual interruption.
“I was bad tonight,” Wembanyama said. “It’s not more complicated than that. … I think we let that one go.”
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He finished with 26 points on 6-for-21 shooting, along with 12 rebounds and six turnovers in the Spurs' loss.
According to NBA policy, any fan who enters the court during a game faces ejection. The league also allows for potential bans from future events and possible criminal charges in such cases.
It was not immediately known whether the fan involved in Wednesday’s incident was arrested after being removed by security.
The game ultimately continued without further interruption as New York maintained control and secured the 105-95 victory in Game 1 of the Finals.
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