A'ja Wilson received a technical after confronting a courtside fan during Game 2 in Indiana, then explained why she considered the interaction unacceptable.
A'ja Wilson drew a foul on Sophie Cunningham with just over four minutes left Tuesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, then turned toward a fan in the baseline seats who was yelling something toward the court.
The Indiana Fever led the Las Vegas Aces by 11 at the time in Game 2 of a best-of-three WNBA first-round series. The broadcast showed a man standing next to the baseline seats, pointing and yelling after the foul, according to IndyStar's Chloe Peterson.
Wilson took out her mouthguard, pointed back, and went into the courtside rows. Aces teammates, staff, and team security got between them. Cheyenne Parker-Tyus pointed out the fan as Wilson was held back.
Officials needed several minutes to sort it out. When they did, the technical went to Wilson and a personal foul to Cunningham.
Kelsey Mitchell missed the technical free throw for Indiana, Wilson went 2-of-2 on hers, and the Fever's lead was down to nine.
Arena security escorted the man from his seat. He later returned to it.
Fever Says Fan Did Not Violate Code of Conduct
After the game, the Fever said in a statement shared by The Athletic's James Boyd that arena security spoke with the fan involved and with witnesses following a report of a comment directed toward a player.
"Security determined there was no violation of the Fan Code of Conduct, the fan was not removed from the arena," the team said. "We consider the matter closed."
Wilson apologized to her teammates for the technical, which came with Las Vegas trying to climb out of an 11-point hole on the road.
"[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," Wilson said. "I don't give a damn how you said it, the tone. That is unacceptable. You don't step towards me, you never should, and point at me. I'm not, I'm not, I'm not for that s— at all. Excuse my French, and God bless me, but that there is unacceptable."
"And how he gets back in the game because they said he didn't do anything," Wilson continued. "Of course he didn't. And that's fine. But I apologize to my team because I got us a tech, and I'm really — but it's just certain things that I'm just not going to allow anymore because it's just unacceptable."
"So don't — you don't know me at all to come and step towards me and point at me and say anything out your mouth to me," Wilson added.
Neither Wilson nor the Fever said what the comment was.
Hammon Says Wilson Felt 'Very Disrespected'
Aces coach Becky Hammon said Wilson felt disrespected in the moment. She said Wilson's reaction stood out because she had never seen her respond that way before.
"I didn't exactly see what happened," Hammon said. "I kind of saw the aftermath. 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."
"But I don't, I can just speak to her," Hammon continued. "I've never seen her really react like that, ever. I could just speak to her as a person. I'd 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."
On Aug. 6, in the Aces' only regular-season visit to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, play stopped in the third quarter after Jackie Young motioned toward fans sitting courtside.
Security escorted a woman out through a tunnel. She returned a few minutes later, and two men seated near her were then taken out.
The Fever's statement that night also said security found no violation of the Fan Code of Conduct and considered the matter closed. Las Vegas won 86-84 in overtime on a Chelsea Gray 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Fever Force Game 3 Against Aces
Wilson finished Tuesday with 22 points and nine rebounds. She shot 5-of-11 from the field and 12-of-13 at the free-throw line. Young led Las Vegas with 31 points and went 13-of-13 at the line.
Caitlin Clark had 27 points, seven rebounds, and 15 assists for Indiana on 9-of-18 shooting. She fouled out with 2:45 left. Mitchell scored 26 points, and Aliyah Boston added 22 on 10-of-15 shooting.
The Aces led 26-18 after the first quarter. Indiana won the second quarter 30-17 and the third 24-17, and it outscored Las Vegas 58-26 in the paint.
Two days earlier, Wilson had 38 points and 16 rebounds on 15-of-19 shooting in a 102-85 Game 1 win in Las Vegas. The Associated Press named her its WNBA Player of the Year for the third straight season that morning.
Las Vegas finished 31-13 and is the No. 3 seed.
Indiana went 28-16 as the No. 6 seed and won the regular-season series 2-1. The Fever have played the series without Tyasha Harris, who will miss the playoffs with a broken fibula.
Game 3 is Thursday at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas. The winner advances to a semifinal against the winner of the Golden State Valkyries and Dallas Wings first-round series.
