A routine dead-ball moment turned into the night’s most talked-about scene in Sacramento when a Kings fan was tossed from Wednesday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers after firing a basketball toward a referee who wasn’t looking.
The fan was identified as Duncan McFetridge, and the sequence quickly escalated once Lakers star Luka Doncic noticed what had happened. McFetridge was sitting in the front-row floor seats near the ball when he threw it toward the official after it had gone out of bounds. Doncic walked over and questioned him about the force of the toss before arena security ultimately ejected McFetridge.
The video spread fast, and one clip drew more than 2 million views on X. Some reposts even carried the hashtag “#FreeDuncan,” with users arguing that the ejection was too harsh.
McFetridge’s wife, Kellie DeMarco, a former longtime television news personality, later addressed the moment on Instagram and confirmed her husband was the fan involved. She said he never meant to hurt the referee.
“Yes, this is my sweet husband, and yes, he’s the guy who got ejected from an NBA game!” DeMarco wrote. “I spent nearly 20 years in TV news, and he’s getting more airtime than me!”
DeMarco said McFetridge, who is now a Sacramento lobbyist, played basketball for years and that the throw came from muscle memory.
“He meant no harm, he feels terrible that it came across the wrong way, and he has nothing but respect for the officials,” DeMarco wrote. “Thank you for all the kind messages. We love the Kings and this community.”
She also joked about the online comparisons between her husband and Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, writing, “And no, he is not Steve Kerr, I’ve read the comments.”
Doncic explained his reaction after the game, saying he stepped in because the ball had been thrown so hard.
“He just tossed a really strong ball toward the ref,” Doncic said. “I was just asking, ‘What the hell he is doing?’”
The Kings lost 116-103, and Doncic finished with 40 points.
In Other News...
Kings Suddenly Have A Bigger Sabonis Concern Than One Missed Game
Domantas Sabonis is set to miss the Kings upcoming game against the Heat because of left knee soreness, a development that carries a little more weight than a routine absence. Its the same knee that needed surgery last season and cut his previous campaign short, which is enough to make any update on his status feel more significant than a single night off.
Sacramento will have to lean more heavily on other players while Sabonis sits, and that only adds to the pressure in what has already been a difficult season. Even before the matchup with Miami tips, the bigger question is not just how the Kings cover for him in one game, but what this latest knee issue might mean if it lingers. [Read more 🡒]
Kings May Be Headed Back To The Version That Worked Better
The Sacramento Kings spent much of the 2025-26 season trying to hold things together through coaching and front office changes, injuries, and a 22-60 finish that made the year feel like a reset more than a run. In the closing stretch, the rookies got more runway and offered a glimpse of a different kind of roster, one with more energy and a little more room to grow even if the results never followed.
Now the conversation is turning toward 2026-27, and the shape of the roster is starting to look familiar in a way that may not be entirely comfortable. The Kings are leaning mostly on veterans who have not yet clicked as a unit, while some of the younger players and injured rookies are expected back in the mix, giving Sacramento at least a chance to rediscover the version of itself that made more sense on the floor. [Read more 🡒]
Darius Acuff Jr. Is Chasing A Teenage Mark Kings Fans Know Well
Darius Acuff Jr. has wasted little time making his name known, and the early production has already put him in rare company. Through his first 10 NBA games, he has averaged 25.9 points and 7.4 assists per game, with two outings of at least 30 points and 10 assists, a level of creation that tends to get attention fast when it comes from a teenager.
For Kings fans, the comparison is the kind that naturally turns heads, because it points toward a teenage benchmark long associated with LeBron James. Acuff Jr. has done it in fewer games before turning 20, and the next stretch will show whether his offensive growth can keep him on pace with a record that has become part of the leagues shorthand for precocious star power. [Read more 🡒]