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The Toronto Raptors held their annual Fan Appreciation Day on Monday, which featured thousands of fans, including large groups of local schoolchildren, attending an open practice and participating in kid-friendly activities.
But while the day was a great experience for some Raptors players, such as Ontario native RJ Barrett, star forward Scottie Barnes had a different view of things after getting smacked in the back of the by one of the kids in attendance.
Thankfully, Barnes was able to take things in stride. But he was clearly thrown off guard by the incident.
Raptors Fan Day starts with a little kid randomly slapping Scottie lmao pic.twitter.com/kFNTIPS0wp
— William Lou (@william_lou) March 16, 2026
Scottie Barnes Reacts To Getting Smacked In The Head By A Young Fan
The incident in question occurred as the Raptors took the court for the open practice part of the day. They entered through a tunnel of young fans, one of whom decided to jump up and swat Barnes across the back of the head.
Video of the incident shows Barnes turning back twice with a confused look on his face before going to join his teammates. With the benefit of hindsight, Barnes found humor in the situation, sharing a picture of the interaction on Instagram with the caption, “damn kids man.”
@ya.boy.scottie on Instagram
The kid didn’t appear to have any ill intent with the smack. If anything, he likely just found it funny and was urged on by his teammates. But it certainly made for a bizarre scene.
Barnes, 24, is the centerpiece of a Raptors team that currently sits in sixth place in the Eastern Conference at 38-29. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft made his second All-Star Game appearance this season and is averaging 18.7 points per game to go along with 7.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists.