The NBA isn’t playing around when it comes to New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson. According to a new report, the league is looking into alleged crude remarks directed toward Brunson by fans. The moment reportedly happened during Game 1 of the NBA Finals, when Brunson and the Knicks took down Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
NBA Is Looking Into Alleged ‘Vulgar Remarks’ Directed At Jalen Brunson During Game 1 Of The NBA Finals
According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, the NBA has launched an investigation into alleged crude remarks made by fans during the Knicks’ Wednesday contest against the Spurs.
“NBA is looking into two courtside fans who allegedly directed vulgar profane ‘flopping’ remarks towards Knicks star Jalen Brunson late in Game 1 of Finals,” Haynes reported. “Brunson met with official Scott Foster after the game to address the fans’ behavior to which the remarks continued.”
For those who might’ve missed it, Brunson could be seen speaking with fans sitting courtside about a minute into the game. It’s unclear what they’re saying, but the moment looks tense.
Jalen Brunson Appeared To Speak With Longtime NBA Referee Scott Foster About Alleged Comments
Haynes appeared on the “Dan Patrick Show” on Thursday and further opened up about the situation, stating that Brunson brought his concerns to longtime NBA referee Scott Foster.
“After the game, Brunson goes over to Scott Foster, and he’s not arguing with Scott, but Scott was right there, he was within distance of hearing what the fans were saying,” Haynes said. “Jalen was basically just telling Scott, you know, to do something about this.”
Haynes went on to say that Brunson told Foster that the fans were saying “some pretty derogatory remarks, taunts” toward the Villanova alum.
What Did Jalen Brunson Learn From Game 1?
Brunson spoke with the media after the game; however, the alleged incident wasn’t brought up.
He did, however, discuss some lessons he took from Game 1 of the NBA Finals. According to him, his primary focus for the rest of the series is to “control what I can control.”
“You never really know what’s going to happen throughout a game — it’s all about how you can be better the next possession, how you can make an impact when things aren’t going well. I think controlling what you can control is a big thing,” he said, according to NBA.com.
He also gave a special shoutout to the “amazing” Knicks fans who travel to their away games to show their support.
“It’s very (appreciated)… Our fans, they’re amazing, and my family and I, we’ve felt the day from day one. They’ve been nothing but supportive, and truly, I will not take them for granted,” he said.
More Drama During NBA Finals
Before Brunson’s reported interaction with disruptive fans, another attendee caused mayhem when he stormed the court with 6:28 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to get a selfie with Wembanyama and Mitchell Robinson.
According to ESPN, the individual has received a lifetime ban from all NBA arenas. A second person received the same punishment.
“I’ve never been in that situation,” Wembanyama said about the unexpected moment. “I didn’t know how to act. It really surprised me, almost as much as that time [when] a bat crossed the court.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver discussed the moment and slammed the attendee for doing something “stupid.”
“I even hesitate to describe that person as a fan,” the NBA executive said. “They seemed to have an ulterior motive for doing so. … The other side of the coin of global attention is that somebody realizes there’s an enormous platform to do stupid things. … They will be banned for life, not just from [Frost Bank Center] but every arena in the NBA. The consequences are dramatic if you do this.”
The Spurs Are Calm Before Heading Into Game 2
Wembanyama spoke with the media about his performance during Game 1, saying the loss was on his shoulders.
“I was bad tonight. It’s not more complicated than that,” he said, according to NBC Sports.
Regarding Game 2, Wembanyama isn’t concerned about what’s coming; he just needs his team to get back to “normal.”
“Really, I think the reason we lost that game isn’t even technical. It’s not even technical, tactical,” he shared. “We need to approach the game with a better mental state. We just need to play our game. We just need to be normal.”