When Rockets center Christian Wood offered courtside tickets to a fan in Charlotte that he accidentally hit in the head with an errant pass, it initially looked to be a feel-good story. By all immediate indications, the woman appeared to be okay, and Wood was ready to take his ribbing in stride on shows like Shaqtin’ a Fool that poke fun at player miscues.
Three days later, however, it no longer appears to be a light-hearted matter. Though Isabella Fitz stayed upright at the time and kept walking, she tells Inside Edition that she eventually went to an emergency room, where she was diagnosed with a concussion and a hairline fracture to her cheekbone. According to Fitz, her doctor told her that she will not be able to return to her job for approximately three weeks.
Moreover, she tells Inside Edition that she’s upset at the reaction — both from Charlotte’s announcing crew, and from Wood. From the article:
“There was definitely a laugh from the announcers and a comment ‘she seems to be OK,’ but I took a basketball to the face,” Fitz said.
Woman Ends Up With Fracture and Concussion After Getting Hit at Charlotte Hornets Basketball Game https://t.co/ScHMjovhFJ
— Inside Edition (@InsideEdition) December 30, 2021
As for Wood, Fitz said she would not be taking him up on the ticket offer and was instead hoping for an apology. Earlier in the Instagram message where Wood offered the tickets, he included a laughing emoji with the words, “it happens to the best of us, Shaqtin,” in reference to the show.
At the time, the Houston big man did not have any knowledge of the situation’s severity. However, Fitz is asking for an apology. “By no means was that appropriate,” Fitz said of the emoji.
As of late Thursday, Wood had yet to respond to those comments. Following Monday’s game in Charlotte, Wood went out of his way in the postgame press conference to say that he hoped she was okay.
Woman who got hit with ball by Christian Wood is upset about his laughing emojis, wants an apology pic.twitter.com/DmdXNqkUaG
— Bacon, Grits, Eggs (@reddawg77089) December 30, 2021
.@Chriswood_5 passes along a message to the woman in Charlotte that he hit with his pass pic.twitter.com/jmIpFxpjND
— Cayleigh Griffin (@cayleighgriffin) December 28, 2021
