NBA Investigating Jalen Brunson’s Exchange With Courtside Fans After Knicks’ Game 1 Win

The NBA is investigating an interaction between New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and courtside fans late in the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the NBA Finals, sources confirmed to ESPN. 4 seconds remaining. Brunson had just made an acrobatic shot on the previous possession that gave the Knicks a six-point lead.

He spoke with crew chief Scott Foster during the free throws and returned to speak with Foster again after the final buzzer. Brunson appeared upset during the exchange but did not address the matter with reporters after the game or during Thursday's practice media session. He finished with 30 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter without a turnover.

The Knicks overcame a 14-point third-quarter deficit to win 105-95 and extend their playoff winning streak to 12 games. Eleven of those victories came by double figures, producing a plus-272 point differential that ESPN reported is the best in the 80-year history of the NBA.

Separately, the NBA announced on June 5 that it had issued a lifetime ban to a fan who ran onto the court during play in an attempt to take a selfie with Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama.

A second person will also receive a lifetime ban for their role in that incident. Prime Video first reported the league's review of the Brunson matter. At the start of the 2025-26 season the NBA sent a memo to all 30 clubs directing arena staff to receive training on identifying and responding to violations of the Fan Code of Conduct.

The league also plays a pre-game video in every arena outlining fan conduct expectations. "It is critical that teams and arenas vigorously enforce the Code of Conduct and not tolerate any misconduct that impacts our players, fans, or otherwise disrupts the game," the memo stated.