Neither Jarred Vanderbilt nor Jeremy Sochan comes to mind when fans think of players who could get into a fight on the court, particularly with each other.
However, the NBA is never short on surprises, and it certainly gave fans another one during the Lakers-Spurs game.
Jarred Vanderbilt, Jeremy Sochan Get Into Altercation
With the Lakers up by 14, Vanderbilt and Sochan got into it a bit. When Sochan had the ball, Vanderbilt got a little extra physical while defending him, giving him a few excessive pushes. Sochan took exception to this, which led him to throw the ball at Vanderbilt, thus leading to a shoving match.
Lakers Empire‘s X account posted the clip of the entire exchange between the two sides.
VANDO FIGHT SOCHAN pic.twitter.com/k32ei5dMzt
— Lakers Empire (@LakersEmpire) March 18, 2025
Both were immediately ejected, while the Lakers would come up victorious when the buzzer sounded.
It hasn’t been clear what led to this skirmish in the first place, but it was clear neither side was going to tolerate what the other was putting them through. The question at hand is what the ramifications will be for either side.
Impact Of Possible Suspensions
Fighting can lead to suspensions if they escalate enough. No punches were thrown, but the shoving match led to their ejections, and it could be more when the league office looks at the tape. If either or both get suspended, it could have varying impacts on their respective teams.
The Spurs won’t be affected much if Sochan gets suspended. That’s not a reflection of him as a player by any means but more about where they are right now in the standings. Because they are pretty far out of the playoff picture, which Victor Wembanyama’s unfortunate season-ending condition has catalyzed, the Spurs are pretty low in the Western Conference as is.
It’s a different story for Vanderbilt. With the season winding down, the Lakers are aiming for the highest seed possible. They haven’t had LeBron James or Rui Hachimura for the past few games, and that’s hurting them. Losing Vanderbilt would also hurt them because of how good his defense has been since he returned from injury.
It is unfortunate to see a fight break out, no matter the circumstances. It is a little befuddling in this specific case because both Vanderbilt and Sochan have never been ones to get into skirmishes. Nonetheless, all eyes will be on them if the league decides to punish them further.