Martha Stewart experienced an unfortunate incident during a recent NBA game when New York Knicks player Jalen Brunson accidentally broke her toe. The entrepreneur recounted this painful encounter on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” on March 5, 2024, providing a humorous yet cautionary tale about footwear choices at sporting events.
Stewart, who attended the game between the Knicks and the Indiana Pacers, wore open-toed sandals, which she now advises against for anyone sitting courtside. “See those open-toe shoes?” she remarked, pointing to a picture of herself at the game. “Never, ever wear open-toed shoes to a game like that when you’re sitting on the floor.” Her choice of footwear, featuring a woven gold upper, became a source of discomfort when Brunson inadvertently stepped on her foot.
The injury, which Stewart humorously dubbed the “Brunson Fracture,” occurred when Brunson, who stands at 6 feet 2 inches, landed on her big toe. “He stepped on my big toe—that’s why I’m wearing open-toed shoes, because it’s the only kind of shoes I can wear now,” she shared. At the time of the incident, Stewart was wearing minimalist gold slingback sandals.
The pain was exacerbated when the game extended into overtime. “It was like in the last five minutes of the game with the Pacers, and then they went into overtime, which made it even more painful because I couldn’t get up and leave to go take care of my toe,” Stewart explained. She realized immediately that her toe was broken, recalling the moment Brunson sat on her lap after the incident. “I grabbed his arm and his arm was like icy cold… I thought, he’s a basketball player; he should be sweaty—he was cool as a cucumber,” she added.
Despite the injury, Stewart maintained a light-hearted demeanor, saying, “I said ‘It’s OK,’ that’s all I said was ‘It’s OK.’ And he didn’t know he broke my foot, but he broke my foot.” She later mentioned that Brunson’s father, an assistant coach for the Knicks, found the situation amusing when she shared her experience with him.
While the injury has limited her shoe choices, Stewart did receive a memorable keepsake from her encounter with the NBA star: “All I got out of it was a signed basketball for my grandchild.” Her story serves as a reminder of the unexpected hazards that can accompany high-energy sporting events, especially for those wearing less-than-ideal footwear.
As Stewart continues to share her entertaining anecdotes, her advice on footwear remains clear: for those attending games, especially in close proximity to the action, practical choices are paramount.
