A fan has now been arrested and banned for life from all NBA arenas after storming onto the court during Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals on Wednesday.
According to the Associated Press’ Tim Reynolds, an NBA spokesperson confirmed this news on Thursday.
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“The individual who entered the court area during Game 1 of The Finals was arrested & will be banned for life from all NBA arenas,” the league spokesperson said. “A second individual will also receive a lifetime ban for his role in the incident.”
With just over six minutes left in the game, the fan stormed onto the court with a phone and approached San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama.
As security quickly closed in, the fan tried to take a selfie with Wembanyama before being apprehended.
“I’ve never been in that situation,” Wembanyama said. “I didn’t know how to act. It really surprised me, almost as much as that time [when] a bat crossed the court.”
Spurs guard Dylan Harper had lost control of the ball just before the incident and the referees were unable to determine who last had possession. They ultimately decided to call for a jump ball, which Wembanyama won.
While the incident went viral, both sides were more focused on winning the battle and taking a 1-0 Finals lead. Down the stretch, clutch shooting helped the Knicks pull off a 14-point comeback and secure the victory.
Wembanyama finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds and six turnovers on 6-of-21 shooting.
“I was bad tonight,” he said. “It’s not more complicated than that. … I think we let that one go.”
James Parker is a sports writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker
