A'ja Wilson on fan who stepped at her: 'No way he does that to LeBron'

A'ja Wilson left Game 2 seething. Led by Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell, the Fever took the game 99-89 to tie the opening playoff series, but the Aces' four-time MVP still became the main story after she clashed with a fan behind the baseline.

The moment near the baseline

With just over four minutes left, Sophie Cunningham was whistled for a foul on Wilson. As Cunningham argued the call, a man seated behind the basket stood up, stepped toward Wilson and pointed at her. Wilson fired back immediately, and several Aces teammates had to jump between them.

She was assessed a technical foul and the fan was escorted out of the arena. Afterward, Wilson summed up the line he crossed with one famous comparison: "No way he does that to LeBron [James]," she told ESPN.

"I try to play my game … but if I am just walking, just got the foul, I'm chilling and I see a man come at me, taking steps toward me and pointing at me, I don't give a damn what you said," she added. "I don't give a damn how you said it, the tone. That is unacceptable. You don't step toward me. You never should sit and point at me. That there is unacceptable."

"You can hate me with all your heart. But you don't know me. But I guarantee you will respect me."

Wilson reiterated that her problem wasn't the heckling itself but the movement — a man coming toward her and pointing. She said she apologized to her teammates afterward, but she was not going to let that approach slide. Fans could love or hate her, she reasoned, but they still had to give her respect.

There was one more ruling for her to absorb. After speaking with the fan and witnesses, Fever officials found no violation of the arena's Fan Code of Conduct, so the man was allowed back to his seat — a decision Wilson disagreed with post-game.

Game 3 moves to Las Vegas, where the Aces will try to edge back ahead on their home floor.