On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Kings 116-103, but it involved Luka Doncic having an NSFW interaction. It was directed towards a spectator sitting in the first row near the baseline. The incident even led to the fan’s ejection after his interaction with referee Chelisa Painter. However, as the clip gained traction online, his wife stepped forward to explain what happened from his perspective.
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Kellie DeMarco, a three-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, addressed the incident through a social media post. She shared a picture with her husband, Duncan, from the game and added a humorous caption: “When date night goes viral.”
“Yes, this is my sweet husband, and yes, he’s the guy who got ejected from an NBA game. 🏀 I spent nearly 20 years in TV news, and he’s getting more airtime than me! He played basketball for years, and apparently the chest pass muscle memory never left. He meant no harm, he feels terrible that it came across the wrong way, and he has nothing but respect for the officials.
“Thank you for all the kind messages. We love the Kings and this community. 💜 And no, he is not Steve Kerr, I’ve read the comments. 😂.”
DeMarco’s response offered a different perspective on an incident that had already sparked plenty of debate among basketball fans. She made it clear that her husband, Duncan, never intended to intimidate the official and regretted how his actions were interpreted.
The incident itself occurred with 2:35 remaining in the third quarter. An out-of-bounds ball landed in the lap of a front-row spectator seated near the baseline. The fan picked it up and returned it to the female referee with a chest pass.
Painter appeared to take issue with the way the ball was sent back. Primarily because her back turned when Duncan aimed the pass. She then signaled to the other officials that the spectator should be removed from the arena. The decision immediately caught Luka Doncic’s attention.
The Lakers star was waiting to receive the ball from the referee when he turned toward the fan. Videos from the game went viral as the Slovenian was visibly frustrated and appeared to ask, “What the f*** are you doing?” to Duncan. Even in the video, DeMarco’s husband raised both hands, seemingly trying to show that he meant no disrespect. Eventually, security personnel escorted him out.
Luka Doncic, after the game, explained why he confronted the spectator.
“He just tossed it really strong — the ball — toward the ref,” the Lakers star said. “I just asked him what the hell he’s doing.”
While the footage initially left viewers questioning whether the ejection was justified, DeMarco’s explanation has added another layer to the discussion.