The Los Angeles Sparks moved on to the WNBA semifinals with a blowout win over the Seattle Storm on Sunday, but the celebration was temporarily marred by a scary moment that unfolded postgame.
As the Sparks’ Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike took to midcourt to celebrate the 92-69 win, a fan in a Houston Rockets jersey ran towards the players with an object in his hand.
Chiney noticed the man approach them and briefly moved to defend herself and Nneka. That was when security caught up with the fan and brought him to the ground.
This was the same fan who was spotted doing pushups courtside earlier in the game.
Nneka was asked about the incident after the game and praised security for their response and said that she didn’t know who the fan was.
She said:
“I don’t know who that was. I have no idea who that was. I think he was just a very enthusiastic fan that maybe got caught up in the moment. But we have the security in place to manage those situations and diffuse those situations.”
