San Antonio — Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt confronted San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan near midcourt moments after the Spurs’ 122-115 win on Jan. 7, 2026 at Frost Bank Center, leading to a brief altercation that included contact between the players.
Television replays showed Vanderbilt pointing a finger at Sochan’s face before Spurs wing Julian Champagnie stepped in and shoved the Lakers veteran. No further physical escalation occurred and the teams eventually headed to their locker rooms.
Vanderbilt declined to speak with reporters, but Sochan addressed the incident. “I must’ve said something to him during the game, and maybe it wasn’t very nice,” Sochan said. “He must have taken it the wrong way and told me to see him after the game. So, I did. … I was joyful and the other person wasn’t. Yeah, he just wasn’t emotionally stable in that moment.”
There were no visible in-game flare-ups between the two forwards, making the postgame encounter unexpected. Because Vanderbilt made contact with Sochan, the NBA is expected to review the matter and could issue a fine.
Wednesday’s matchup marked Vanderbilt’s third start of the season. Los Angeles was without three regular starters, and despite the loss, Luka Dončić said he was proud of the Lakers’ effort, according to the team.
No technical fouls or ejections were assessed during or after the contest, and both clubs are scheduled to meet again on Feb. 24 in Los Angeles.
Source: Lakers Nation
