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By TJ Macias
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”Oh my lord, I hate this.”
Usually, when ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith starts a sentence with those six words, fans know they’re about to be served a word salad that may, or may not, contain recalled lettuce.
“I love me some A’ja Wilson, I think that she’s the best player in the world, I think she’s a superstar basketball player and a great person who should be revered,” he continued.
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All truth so far since the Las Vegas Aces center and four-time WNBA MVP is wildly considered one of the best basketball players of her generation.
“But you know what, I think that particular incident based on what we saw on camera and what the arena stated after the investigation into the matter, I think it looks like an overreaction.”
The particular incident in question took place on Tuesday night’s playoff game between Wilson’s Aces, and the Indiana Fever at Gainbridge Fieldhouse where the three-time WNBA champion got tangled up with Fever guard Sophie Cunningham during the fourth quarter.
After Cunningham was called for a foul after the play stopped, Wilson turned her attention to a fan. It was clear that whatever the fan had said to Wilson, she didn’t take it lightly and had to be held back by teammates.
“I’ve never seen A’ja Wilson go like that,” Aces head coach Becky Hammon said during a presser following Vegas’ 99-89 loss. “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.”
Wilson spoke candidly about the confrontation after the game.
“If I see a man come at me, taking steps toward 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 know me to step toward me and point at me. I’m not for that [expletive] at all.”
While the fan was removed following the altercation, he returned to his seat a little later, a Fever reporter mentioned.
“How did he get back in the game? Because they said he didn’t do anything," Wilson added.
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The Athletic reported that the Fever issued a statement, saying that “security determined there was no violation of the Fan Code of Conduct, the fan was not removed from the arena. We consider the matter closed.”
While it was clear that Wilson was flustered, Smith went on to elaborate on why he believes her reaction wasn’t warranted.
“When you tangle with another player, a fan standing up and pointing at you is not a crime,” Smith said. “He’s a fan of the opposing team. What do you mean he was walking toward you, approaching you?”
Smith noted that after the play, the center can be seen walking toward the fan.
“I don’t understand, what is he doing? She’s the one coming over here like that,” he said over footage of the heated exchange. “Respectively, what did he do?”
While Smith expressed that he’d “love to come to her defense because she’s the best,” he claimed she didn’t prove that the fan did anything wrong.
All eyes have also turned to the player involved in the play before the outburst: Cunningham.
The controversial player has an entire Indiana fan base speaking on her behalf during Round 1 of the WNBA playoffs. Fans have been slamming officials for calling fouls on Cunningham, especially during the 102-85 Game 1 blowout of the Fever where a Flagrant-1 was issued to the Missouri product after she tried to block a mid-range shot from the Aces’ Chelsea Gray.
Indiana fans exploded online over the call.
“Complete BS,” one person said.
“What. A. Joke. I just can’t take this league seriously,” another commented.
Game 3 moves to the Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Thursday.
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