NBA free agent Christian Wood, who most recently played for the Los Angeles Lakers from 2023 to 2025, was involved in a robbery scare that could have gone sideways if not for his smart survival instinct.
The former Lakers center reportedly fired multiple rounds into the ground to scare away the potential robbers who were intruding into his house in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles.
According to NBC Los Angeles, the incident happened at around 1 p.m. in the 14800 block of Otsego Street, Los Angeles Police Department. Three suspects allegedly broke the back door of the house to gain entry, but were met by gunfire sounds allegedly coming from the former NBA player’s gun.
All the suspects were described to be male. No property was taken during the incident. It’s unclear if any of the suspects were hit by the bullets, but sources say that Wood was only aiming at the ground and not at the intruders.
They were last seen fleeing down Otsego towards Sepulveda Boulevard in a grey Jeep Grand Cherokee, police said. More details of the investigation could become public soon. It was unclear to the police whether Wood owned or he is renting the property where the incident occurred.
Home invasions have become a concerning trend in the NBA. Most recently, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was also the victim of a home invasion. It seems as if NBA players suddenly have a target on their backs. Last season, even Jaylen Brown’s mother was the victim of a home invasion.
The 30-year-old veteran last played with the Lakers for three seasons before he was waived and replaced with Alex Len in February 2025. Wood is currently not on any NBA team, after a concerning left-knee injury derailed his time in the purple and gold jersey.
He suffered multiple injuries during his NBA career. He last played an NBA game in the 2023-24 season and averaged 6.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game that year, which is far less than how he performed in his prime.
The FBI issued a warning to professional athletes near the end of last year that they have become more prone to home invasions due to their vulnerability of being away for games, during which their homes remain unguarded or only partially secured.
But in Wood’s case, if he owned the house and it was intentionally targeted, then the invaders would know that he is not on any team. Therefore, it is possible that the house was a random target for the invaders. Fortunately for Wood, his survival instincts saved him from any potential damage to himself and his property.
