NBA: Wembanyama’s celebratory ball toss came with hefty price

Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs greets the crowd after they defeated the New York Knicks at Frost Bank Center on March 29, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas. Ronald Cortes/Getty Images/AFP

NEW YORK — Victor Wembanyama’s celebratory tossing of a basketball into the stands was costly.

The NBA fined the San Antonio rookie $25,000 on Sunday for the act, which came at the end of Friday’s 130-126 overtime win for the Spurs over the New York Knicks.

Wembanyama caught a long pass for a steal on the game’s final play, wrapped his arms around the ball, high-fived a courtside fan and then tossed the ball a few rows into the crowd.

He had 40 points, 20 rebounds and seven assists in the game. It was the first such stat line by an NBA rookie since 1974 and only the fifth game with that many points, rebounds and assists in the last 46 years.

Wembanyama, the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft, is the consensus favorite to win rookie of the year. He is averaging 21 points and 10.5 rebounds this season.