A’ja Wilson apologizes for technical foul but demands respect after confrontation with fan
-
Click here to listen to this article - Share via
See more from the L.A. Times in Google Search. Set us as preferred
- A’ja Wilson apologized to her Las Vegas Aces teammates for a late technical foul in their 98-89 playoff loss to Indiana, but stood by confronting a fan she said disrespected her.
- The fan was allowed to return to his seat after arena security found no violation of the Fever’s conduct code.
- The Aces and Fever meet Thursday in Las Vegas for the decisive Game 3.
Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson said she apologized to her teammates for getting a technical foul late in a 98-89 playoff loss to the Indiana Fever on Tuesday night in Indianapolis.
But the four-time league MVP is not apologizing for her actions that led to the foul being called.
With about four minutes left in the fourth quarter and the Aces down by 11, Wilson drew a foul against Indiana’s Sophie Cunningham. As Cunningham protested the call, Wilson walked toward a Fever fan who had been standing in front of his seat in the second row behind the basket and pointing in Wilson’s direction.
Visibly upset, Wilson stood directly in front of the fan, who had been pulled back into his seat by a woman sitting next to him, while yelling at him. She quickly was pulled away by teammate Cheyenne Parker-Tyus and still was upset as she walked away.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Wilson said there are “just certain things that I’m not going to allow anymore because it’s just unacceptable.”
The Sparks will be hiring their fifth coach since winning a WNBA title in 2016 after parting with former University of Utah coach Lynne Roberts.
“I don’t know if you guys know me, but I don’t really get into the bulls—. I don’t,” Wilson said. “I try to play my game, keep it pushing. But if I’m just walking, because I just got the foul, I’m chilling — and if I see a man come at me, taking steps towards me and pointing at me, I don’t give a damn what you said. I don’t give a damn how you said it, the tone. That is unacceptable.”
Online video footage shot from the stands shows that the man was standing in front of his seat as the play unfolded. He appears to take a step or two while pointing and yelling after the foul was called.
Team USA’s Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark say they are having fun building their chemistry as teammates at the women’s FIBA World Cup in Berlin.
“I didn’t exactly see what happened. I kind of saw the aftermath,” Aces coach Becky Hammon told reporters after the game. “I’ve never seen A’ja Wilson go like that. So whatever was done, I can tell you she felt very disrespected in that moment. I’ve never seen her really react like that ever. So whatever it was, it doesn’t have any place, I don’t think, in an arena.”
The fan eventually was escorted out of the seating area but was allowed to return to his seat. The Fever said in a statement that arena security spoke with the man and witnesses and “determined there was no violation of the Fan Code of Conduct.”
Nneka Ogwumike finishes with 17 points and 15 rebounds to cap her standout WNBA career, but Sparks let the Valkyries rally on a 13-0 run in a 76-75 loss.
Wilson was assessed a technical foul for unsportsmanlike conduct.
“Yeah, I’m apologizing to my team for that,” she told reporters. But, Wilson added, “you don’t have to like me. You don’t have to love me. You can hate me with all your heart. ... But I guarantee you will respect me.”
The decisive Game 3 of the series is Thursday in Las Vegas.
