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The New York Knicks began their quest for their first title since 1973 on Wednesday night in a matchup against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
The Spurs clung to a seven-point halftime lead, setting up a back-and-forth second half and a tight fourth quarter. But amid the excitement of a hotly contested fourth quarter, one overexcited fan briefly stole the spotlight in pursuit of what he hoped would be a once-in-a-lifetime photo.
The unidentified fan ran onto the field midway through the final quarter of the game and appeared to be trying to take a selfie next to Wembanyama.
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A fan is restrained by security after running onto the court during the fourth quarter of Game One of the 2026 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on June 3, 2026. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The fans came from the sideline opposite the team’s benches, started behind the play and ran into San Antonio’s offensive end. The person was quickly pulled off the field by two security guards, and it did not appear that the person had contact with Wembanyama or any New York players.
A fan runs onto the court and takes a picture with Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs during the fourth quarter of Game One of the 2026 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas on June 3, 2026. (Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
Play was stopped for about a minute before play resumed with a bounce ball. The fan was taken out of the court area through a base tunnel.
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Earlier in the game, Knicks guard Jalen Brunson limped to the locker room after Spurs forward Harrison Barnes was pushed into his right knee. Brunson returned in the second quarter with his knee heavily wrapped, and appeared to tweak his left ankle later in the game after a Spurs player stepped on him while contesting a shot. He stayed in the game after the second scare.
Jalen Brunson drives the basket during the Knicks’ 105-95 Game 1 win over the Spurs in the NBA Finals (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) ((Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images))
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Brunson finished with 30 points to lead the Knicks in scoring.
The Knicks ultimately secured a 105–95 win over the Spurs in Game 1, marking New York’s 12th straight playoff victory.
