Victor Wembanyama's difficult night continued after the game as he was met with jeers and a thrown egg outside his New York hotel. The Spurs star narrowly avoided being hit by the egg, which was captured on video.
Incident Outside Hotel
A video shared online showed at least one egg tossed in the direction of the San Antonio Spurs superstar as he entered his hotel, flanked by security, after the team's Game 4 loss to the Knicks. It was not clear who threw the egg. The video showed taunting fans swarming the hotel, a few blocks south of Madison Square Garden.
After the egg cracks on a street sign, Wembanyama turns around and confronts a person near the hotel entrance before continuing inside. The Spurs did not immediately respond to a request for clarification on whether the object struck Wembanyama.
Historic Collapse
The confrontation followed a historic collapse by the Spurs, who blew a 29-point lead to the Knicks, putting them on the brink of elimination. Wembanyama missed two key free throws in the final minutes.
The Knicks' victory led to wild celebrations across New York City, with fans packing streets, setting off fireworks, scaling lamp-posts, and clashing with police. The NYPD reported 56 arrests for charges ranging from assault to disorderly conduct.
"Once again, there were large crowds of people who engaged in incredibly reckless and dangerous behavior last night both during and after the game," the police department said in a statement.
Earlier Attacks on Spurs Fans
Earlier this week, players from both teams condemned apparent attacks on Spurs fans by Knicks supporters. Video showed San Antonio fans having their jerseys ripped off in the streets after the Spurs' Game 3 win.
"My thoughts of course [are] that we can't forget it's a game," Wembanyama said. "We're just playing a game out there. I am all for passion, but [with] the respect of each other. It's unacceptable."
Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns added: "The game is built off of respect and passion. We want everyone to respect each other. We want everyone to enjoy basketball at its purest state. It's the NBA finals. There's no better place to watch basketball. Leave the physicality to everyone on the court."
