Following the Los Angeles Lakers’ 107-91 defeat against the San Antonio Spurs, a brief altercation occurred on the court. After the final buzzer, Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt and Spurs player Jeremy Sochan exchanged words, during which Vanderbilt seemed to poke Sochan in the face. This prompted Julian Champagnie to intervene by shoving Vanderbilt.
No immediate penalties were issued regarding the incident. However, Sochan later made remarks about Vanderbilt, suggesting the forward “wasn’t emotionally stable” during their confrontation.
Sochan explained, “I must’ve said something to him during the game, and maybe it wasn’t very nice. He must have taken it in the wrong way and told me to see him after the game. So, I did. And we just had a polite exchange. I was, I think, intact and very joyful and the other person wasn’t. Yeah, he just wasn’t emotionally stable in that moment. So, it’s something he has to work on. It’s just life.”
Vanderbilt has faced challenges this season, falling out of coach JJ Redick’s rotation and missing eight consecutive games in November and December. Since returning, he has averaged 6.4 points and 5.5 rebounds across 22.9 minutes per game, hitting 37.9% of his three-point attempts.
Despite his limited offensive contributions, Vanderbilt significantly impacts the team with his defensive skills, rebounding, and overall energy, which can sometimes provoke reactions from opposing players.