Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs said he was “surprised” after a fan stormed the court during Game 1 of the NBA Finals and tried to take a selfie with him. One security guard ran to bear-hug the spectator from behind and led him away with another staffer Wednesday night.
A fan on the court during Game 1 of the NBA Finals, as seen and heard on the ESPN on ABC broadcast, caused a brief disruption. The Spurs superstar, who managed a smile during the jarring fourth-quarter moment, appeared amused when asked about it afterward.
“I’ve never been in that situation,” he said. “I didn’t know how to act.”
“It really surprised me, almost as much as that time where a bat crashed the court,” he added, referring to a previous incident.
Broadcasters often omit moments of fan misbehavior, but this one made it on air. “That person wasn’t here for the basketball,” one ESPN/ABC announcer said. “Ya think?” another replied.
The New York Knicks led by 6 at the time and eventually won 105-95 to lead the series. Wembanyama notched 26 points and 12 rebounds but shot poorly from the field (6 of 21).
HuffPost has reached out to the NBA and law enforcement for comment. The incident highlights ongoing concerns about security at major sporting events.
