Texas Congressman Joaquin Castro condemned fan behavior around the 2026 NBA FinalsCompetition·NBA Finals on Friday after reports of violence outside Madison Square Garden and an incident involving San Antonio SpursTeam·San Antonio Spurs star Victor WembanyamaPlayer·Victor Wembanyama. His comments added a political edge to a series already defined by New York’s return to the league’s biggest stage and the tension surrounding Games 3 and 4.
The controversy escalated after a 17-year-old was severely assaulted outside Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night following the New York KnicksTeam·New York Knicks’ 107-106 comeback win over the Spurs in Game 4. The victory gave New York a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven Finals, and reports said the violence began after a content creator provoked fans by saying “Spurs in 7.” The teen, identified in reports as a Knicks fan, was kicked multiple times in the head and body and later placed into a coma.
Castro, who represents Texas’s 20th congressional district, said the treatment of the Spurs and their supporters in New York had been “disgraceful,” while acknowledging the conduct came from only a small section of the fan base. His remarks were later criticized after it was clarified that the assault victim was a Knicks fan, not a Spurs supporter.
The off-court fallout did not stop there. Wembanyama was also reportedly hit with an egg after the game, underscoring how quickly the atmosphere around the Finals has spilled beyond basketball. ESPN’s Mike Greenberg also condemned the conduct, calling it a disgrace.
The Knicks’ run has carried major weight on its own. New York, playing in its first Finals in 27 years, remains one win from its first championship since 1973, while San Antonio faces elimination with Game 5 scheduled for Saturday, June 13. The series has already moved through a 13-game Knicks winning streak before a Game 3 loss, but the conversation around it is now being shaped as much by security and sportsmanship as by the basketball itself.
Victor Wembanyama reacts during Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals. Credit: PRESSE SPORTS/IMAGO
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