The NBA Finals only comes around once a year, and this time it had the whole basketball world locked in.
New York against San Antonio, Jalen Brunson against Victor Wembanyama, a 53-year title drought on the line. Game 1 had everything, until it had a little too much.
With 6:28 left in the fourth quarter and the Knicks leading 92-86, a fan ran onto the Frost Bank Center court and tried to take a selfie with Wembanyama. Security got to him fast, but play had already stopped, and the league was watching.
NBA Bans Two People for Life After Game 1 Court Invasion
GettyVictor Wembanyama Fan Faces Lifetime Consequences After Game 1 Selfie Attempt
The response from the league came swiftly. AP’s Tim Reynolds shared the official NBA statement after the game:
“The individual who entered the court area during Game 1 of The Finals was arrested & will be banned for life from all NBA arenas. A second individual will also receive a lifetime ban for his role in the incident.”
“The individual who entered the court area during Game 1 of The Finals was arrested & will be banned for life from all NBA arenas. A second individual will also receive a lifetime ban for his role in the incident.”
Two lifetime bans, not one. The league did not explain what the second person did, but made it clear that anyone connected to the incident would face the same outcome.
What the Court Invasion Looked Like During Knicks vs Spurs Game 1
NBA Drops Hammer on Wembanyama Fan Following Selfie Incident
The fan ran out with his phone in his right hand, stopped right in front of Wembanyama near the 3-point line, and was shoved away by two security guards before getting his shot. He kept shouting “Wemby” as he ran, and considering Wembanyama stands 7’5″, he never even got a clear shot of the guy’s face.
After removing the fan, the refs could not figure out who had possession just before the chaos, so they called a jump ball at center court. Wembanyama won the tip. He looked more amused than bothered by the whole thing. Mitchell Robinson, not so much.
Wembanyama said postgame, “I’ve never been in that situation. I didn’t know how to act. It really surprised me, almost as much as that time where a bat crossed the court.”
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson kept it short: “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.”
According to the NBA’s Fan Code of Conduct, court rushing could result in the player being ejected immediately, banned for life from the arena, and even be arrested for crimes such as trespassing or disorderly conduct. Besides that, in Texas, entering a restricted area in the stadium is a criminal offense in itself.
The Knicks won 105-95, with Brunson scoring 30 to continue New York’s playoff win streak at 12 games.
The series is still on, but sadly, two individuals will be watching every subsequent game from their living room, forever.
NBA Hands Out Lifetime Ban After Shocking Game 1 Spurs-Knicks Incident