Philadelphia 76ers rookie guard VJ Edgecombe accidentally kicked a courtside fan in the face while diving for a loose ball during Sunday's game in Boston.
It happened with under four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter as the Celtics held a 103-97 lead. After a Sixers 3-point attempt bounced off the back of the rim, Edgecombe chased the ball towards the sideline in a desperate attempt to save possession. He failed to stop the ball from going out of bounds as his momentum carried him towards the crowd. Edgecombe dove into the second row to avoid smashing into the front row fans, but as his left leg came down, his foot smacked a female fan in the side of the face.
The fan suffered a minor scrape but otherwise appeared to be OK. Edgecombe was extremely apologetic and gave the fan a big hug.
NBA fans pay big sums of money to sit courtside, but front row seats can be a dangerous place to be as this incident shows. Aside from the possibility of a player colliding with you, loose balls can come flying at your head. Sometimes players end up causing drinks to spill, and we know those drinks are not cheap.
Edgecombe finished with 23 points, but the Celtics beat the Sixers 114-98.
Moonlighting as a blogger to pursue my interest and enjoyment of sports. Former high school and Division I athlete (now a "retired" family man) that loves watching and discussing all sports. Follow me on Twitter (@HoldoutSports).
