Prime Video WNBA broadcast crew embarrasses itself with coverage of A'ja Wilson fan incident

Prime Video's coverage of Tuesday's Aces-Fever playoff game came with a remarkably simple explanation for A'ja Wilson's confrontation with a fan: Wilson was upset, so the fan must have done something wrong.

The Fever, however, said arena security spoke with the fan and witnesses and found no violation of the Fan Code of Conduct. The team's statement never made it into Prime's postgame discussion.

"Following a report of a comment directed toward a player, arena security spoke with the fan involved and witnesses. Security determined there was no violation of the Fan Code of Conduct, the fan was not removed from the arena. We consider the matter closed," the team said.

A nearby spectator told OutKick the fan was disputing the foul call while pointing at Wilson.

Wilson received a technical foul after the fourth-quarter confrontation during Indiana's 99-89 victory, which tied the series at one game apiece. Prime's broadcasters immediately defended her reaction without establishing what the fan had done to warrant it.

Following the incident, color analyst Candace Parker acknowledged, "We don't know what was said." But that didn't stop fellow analyst LaChina Robinson from describing Wilson's reaction as "not even in line with her demeanor unless it's absolutely necessary."

Absolutely necessary? How could Robinson know that from watching Wilson react?

And it's not as if there was no context available, either.

Watching live, I noticed an arena security guard seated directly in front of the fan. He didn't react or stand up until Wilson had aggressively crossed the baseline, and the fan was already seated by then.

One might think a security guard sitting directly in front of a fan would intervene if he heard something inappropriate or saw the fan enter an area where he wasn't allowed. That would have been useful context for the broadcast to note. Instead, the broadcast treated Wilson's reaction as the only one that mattered.

Play-by-play announcer Michael Grady described the stoppage as officials clearing things up and getting "this fan out of the building." The fan was not removed from the arena, according to the Fever.

Parker also invoked previous incidents, saying, "I feel like this has happened several times here in Indiana."

Well, previous complaints about Indiana fans haven't always held up under investigation.

In August, after Aces guard Jackie Young complained about a fan during a game in Indiana, the Fever said security found no Fan Code of Conduct violation. The team said that fan was not removed from the arena but elected to leave.

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Last year, the WNBA investigated allegations of racist behavior by Fever fans toward Angel Reese and said those allegations were not substantiated. In that case, it was ESPN rushing to embrace those allegations before the investigation was complete.

Parker didn't identify which incidents she meant. But prior complaints don't become proof of fan misconduct just because a broadcaster brings them up again.

By the postgame show, Prime had more time to gather information. Lindsey Harding instead offered viewers certainty based on her familiarity with Wilson.

"I know something was said. Something was said, disrespectful, to a point for her to do that, and it's not okay," Harding said.

OK, what was it?

Harding didn't identify the