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    “Stupid kid,” “Wonder how much he bet on Kalshi”: Fans split over NBA’s decision to issue lifetime bans following the Game 1 incident

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    Runfyers
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    Victor Wembanyama had a big moment with a fan on the court in the fourth quarter of the Spurs’ 105-95 loss to the Knicks in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. A fan made his way onto the court through the crowd to get to Wemby and click a selfie with the Spurs star.

    The NBA was not very fond of the fan’s action, as they banned him for life. Another individual was banned from all NBA arenas for life because of an undisclosed incident.

    “The individual who entered the court area during Game 1 of The Finals was arrested and will be banned for life from all NBA arenas,” a league spokesman said in a press release. “A second individual will also receive a lifetime ban for his role in the incident.”

    On Thursday, an X account shared the news with fans in a post. Fans flocked to the post’s comments section with their thoughts.

    “Stupid kid, no other way to put it,” one fan said.

    “Wonder how much he bet on Kalshi beforehand that somebody would rush the court in Game 1,” another fan said.

    Wonder how much he bet on Kalshi beforehand that somebody would rush the court in Game 1

    “How do they even enforce that tho,” another fan commented.

    Here are more reactions:

    “He probably bet millions on Kashi for this prop. He’s good,” one fan commented.

    “Such a horrible trade-off. Got a pic with Wemby where you don’t even see him and got banned for life,” another fan commented.

    “He just wanted a selfie. I feel banning him is way too harsh…a fine would have been okay,” another fan said.

    Victor Wembanyama reacts to fan rushing to him to get a selfie at the NBA Finals

    Victor Wembanyama was unfazed when he was asked about the interaction he had with the fan in the postgame presser.

    “I’ve never been in that situation,” he said. “I didn’t know how to act.”

    The play was stopped for a minute and 29 seconds before security escorted the fan out of the court through a baseline tunnel. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson dismissed the incident as a non-event.

    “I don’t think it was an event at all,” Johnson said. “I thought security got him out of there. I think everybody moved on to the next play.”

    Wembanyama finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds, two assists and three blocks on 6 of 21 shooting in the loss. The Spurs host the Knicks again on Friday for Game 2 of the Finals series.