A fan briefly interrupted Game 1 of the NBA Finals when he ran onto the Frost Bank Center court during the fourth quarter and tried to take a selfie with Victor Wembanyama. The incident stopped play for a short stretch before the New York Knicks held on for a 105-95 win over the San Antonio Spurs.
The fan entered the floor with a cellphone in hand and stopped near Wembanyama and Knicks center Mitchell Robinson close to the 3-point line. Two security guards quickly moved in and pushed him away before the photo could be taken.
Wembanyama reacts with confusion
Replays showed Wembanyama looking surprised and smiling toward the phone as the scene unfolded. Afterward, the Spurs star said the moment caught him off guard, noting, “I’ve never been in that situation,” and adding that it surprised him nearly as much as the bat that once crossed the court before a January 2024 game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The brief interruption came with 6:28 left and New York leading 92-86. The game did not resume immediately because another sequence near the incident also created confusion over possession.
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 a huddle, the officiating crew ruled a jump ball at center court because it could not determine which team last had possession.
Security steps in quickly
Once security removed the fan, Wembanyama won the tip and play continued. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson downplayed the disruption and said, “I don’t think it was an event at all,” adding that security handled it and everyone moved on to the next play.
Wembanyama later focused more on his own performance than the stoppage. He finished with 26 points on 6-for-21 shooting, plus 12 rebounds and six turnovers, and said, “I was bad tonight,” before adding that the team had to move on from the loss.
Fans who run onto an NBA court can face ejection, possible arena bans, and even criminal charges. It was not immediately known whether the fan involved in the incident was arrested.
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