The NBA Summer League is usually the time for everyone to just chill and relax while watching what is probably the best exhibition sports event out there. There usually isn’t a lot of tension involved as there is nothing much at stake during the Summer League, but that still didn’t stop some fan violence from happening in the stands.
During the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Charlotte Hornets, cameras caught two fans engaging in a fist fight as others rushed to the scene to break them up.
Better angle!!! pic.twitter.com/V0LxJ0GDSD
— Corey Easley (@imcoreaz) July 11, 2022
It would seem like the man in yellow was initially involved in a back-and-forth with some fans seated behind him, and at some point, he enraged the individual beside him, who unloaded some brutal punches at him. It was bad enough that Summer League president Albert Hall also had to rush to the scene, and it is just another unfortunate ugly fan incident at an NBA arena.
It is quite sad that we are seeing more cases of fans causing issues at games, and with security being a bit laxer at the Summer League, perhaps something like this was to be expected. It is unclear what exactly led to the fight starting or what the fates of the two men involved are, but they might be in for some lengthy bans from NBA arenas.
It also took the spotlight away from what had been an incredible game of basketball, as the Lakers lost 89-86 in a thriller that went to double overtime. Cole Swider stood out for the Lakers as he finished with a team-high 21 points on 5-8 shooting from beyond the arc. Scotty Pippen Jr., who had 10 points to go with 7 assists, impressed once again, as he had done earlier, and the team’s two-way signings have proven to be a big success so far.
