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A fan died after suffering a "medical emergency" during an NBA In-Season Tournament game between the New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center Monday (December 4) night, the Kings announced in a statement obtained by CBS Sports on Tuesday (December 5).
"During the first quarter of the Kings vs. Pelicans game, a guest had a medical emergency," the statement reads. "EMS immediately responded and administered CPR. Tragically, these efforts were unsuccessful and the guest passed away. The organization offers its deepest condolences to the guest's family and loved ones."
The fan was described by the Sacramento Metro Fire Department as a man in his 30s, FOX 40 News reported, noting that the man was unresponsive when medics responded to the scene and pronounced dead 20 minutes later. Kings forward Keegan Murray said the team wasn't "aware" of the incident "at all" while speaking to reporters after their 127-117 loss Monday night via ESPN.
No additional details were made available as of Tuesday morning. The incident didn't delay the game and the man's death wasn't publicly announced until the fourth period.
The Kings were eliminated from the inaugural In-Season Tournament with Monday's loss and will face the loser of the Los Angeles Lakers-Phoenix Suns Western Conference quarterfinal matchup on the road before resuming their otherwise set regular season schedule with a home game against the Brooklyn Nets on December 11.