The NBA has issued lifetime bans to two individuals following a disruptive incident during Game 1 of the NBA Finals, where a fan ran onto the court and attempted to take a selfie with San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama.
The intrusion occurred midway through the fourth quarter of Wednesday night's game between the Spurs and the New York Knicks. The fan entered the court from the sideline opposite the team benches, running into San Antonio's offensive end before security guards swiftly intervened and escorted the person away.
A second fan also received a lifetime ban for their involvement, though the league did not disclose specific details of their role. The NBA confirmed the bans in a news release, stating that the individual who entered the court was arrested.
No physical contact was made with Wembanyama or any players during the brief disruption. Wembanyama said he was unfazed, remarking, 'I’ve never been in that situation. I didn’t know how to act.' Play was halted for one minute and 29 seconds before resuming.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson downplayed the incident, saying, 'I don’t think it was an event at all. I thought security got him out of there. I think everybody moved on to the next play.' The second game of the best-of-seven series is scheduled for Friday night, with the Spurs aiming to level after losing the opener.
