The WNBA will not punish A'ja Wilson following her confrontation with a fan during the Las Vegas Aces' first round playoff loss to the Indiana Fever, on Tuesday night, a person with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports.
The altercation unfolded late in the fourth quarter of the 99-89 defeat at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The four-time MVP collided with Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, who was assessed a foul, at the top of the key during an Aces possession. After the contact Wilson looked up and pointed to a fan under the baseline as she walked toward him.Wilson was face-to-face with the fan, pointing at him and yelling at him before Parker-Tyus started to pull her away. Wilson continued to speak in his direction
and to officials, and her teammates also appeared to exchange words with him.
Wilson was given a technical for her "unsportsmanlike conduct" in the incident, according to the referee crew chief said in the postgame pool report. Following an in-game review, the on-court game officials determined A’ja Wilson was in the court area – what is known as a player escape lane – adjacent to the stanchion rather than the stands. Based on that determination, the officials concluded there was no cause for an ejection.
Wilson apologized to her team as she addressed the situation with reporters after the loss.
"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. I don't give a damn how you said it or the tone. That is unacceptable," Wilson said. "You don't step towards me. You never should, and point at me. I'm not for that (expletive) at all."
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. I don't give a damn how you said it or the tone. That is unacceptable. You don't step towards me. You never should, and point at me. I'm not for that (expletive) at all."
Although the fan was removed from his seat by security, he was allowed back before the game ended. After the final buzzer the Fever released a statement saying that "security determined there was no violation of the Fan Code of Conduct."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Las Vegas Aces A'ja Wilson will not be punished by WNBA for altercation with fan
