Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals gave the league nearly everything it could have asked for. The New York Knicks clawed back from 14 points down in the second half, still chasing their first championship in 53 years. The San Antonio Spurs, led by Victor Wembanyama in just his third season, were trying to pull off something no team in league history has done.
There was one problem. In the third quarter, a fan ran onto the court attempting to get a selfie with Wembanyama. He was removed, arrested, and the NBA banned him from all NBA arenas for life. A second fan also received a lifetime ban for his role in the incident.
The matchup already has enough history; the job is to keep the reading list shorter than the tension.
The league is also investigating two courtside fans who allegedly directed vulgar remarks at Knicks star Jalen Brunson. Brunson met with crew chief Scott Foster after the game to discuss what was said.
Fan incidents during the Finals are uncommon but not unheard of. In 2019, Warriors minority owner Mark Stevens was banned for a year and fined $500,000 for shoving Raptors guard Kyle Lowry during Game 3 of the championship.