The wife of a basketball fan who was ejected from a Los Angeles Lakers game after throwing a ball forcefully towards a female referee has spoken out, saying her husband regrets how the incident unfolded.
Kellie DeMarco, a three-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, addressed the controversy involving her husband, Duncan, after footage of the incident went viral on social media.
DeMarco shared a photograph of the couple on Instagram, jokingly captioning it: “When date night goes viral.”
She went on to confirm that her husband was the spectator involved in the incident, writing: “Yes, this is my sweet husband, and yes, he’s the guy who got ejected from an NBA game.”
The former television news journalist also remarked that despite spending nearly 20 years working in television news, her husband was now receiving more airtime than she was.
DeMarco Says Husband Had No Intention of Causing Harm
Explaining what happened during the game, DeMarco said Duncan had played basketball for several years and appeared to have acted out of instinct when returning the ball to the official.
“He played basketball for years, and apparently the chest pass muscle memory never left,” she wrote.
She added that her husband did not intend to cause any harm and was upset that his actions had been interpreted negatively.
“He meant no harm, he feels terrible that it came across the wrong way, and he has nothing but respect for the officials,” DeMarco added.
Fan Ejected After Forceful Pass Towards Female Referee
The incident occurred late in the third quarter of the Lakers’ 116-103 victory over the Sacramento Kings.
During the game, Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt blocked a floater attempt from Sacramento’s Malik Monk near the baseline.
The ball subsequently went into the front row, where it was caught by a spectator.
The fan, later identified as Duncan by his wife, responded by throwing the ball back towards rookie NBA referee Chelisa Painter with a powerful chest pass.
Painter appeared to have some difficulty receiving the ball but did not visibly react to the exchange.
However, Lakers star Luka Doncic appeared unhappy with the spectator’s actions and confronted him shortly afterwards.
Duncan was subsequently approached by security personnel and escorted out of the arena.
Doncic Questions Fan’s Actions During Game
Doncic later explained his reaction to veteran referee and crew chief Ed Malloy, with the exchange picked up by courtside microphones.
“He just tossed – really strong – the ball towards the ref,” Doncic said.
“I was just asking him what the hell is he doing?”
The Slovenian star’s reaction came as the incident unfolded near the Lakers’ bench, drawing attention from players and spectators.
Broadcasters React As Security Removes Spectator
The incident also caught the attention of the Lakers’ television broadcast team, although the commentators appeared to have a limited view of what had happened near the corner of the court.
As security personnel approached the spectator and escorted him away, Spectrum SportsNet commentator Bill Macdonald attempted to explain the situation to viewers.
“Maybe they are asking somebody to please leave,” Macdonald said.
“And there he goes.”
He subsequently noted that something had clearly been said near the Lakers’ bench, as the fan was removed from his seat.
