NBA player has amusing reaction mid-game after spotting 'Jamie Lannister' from 'GOT' sitting courtside

Many people might think they’re the “coolest” in the room—until they meet a favorite celebrity. Even the most accomplished people can feel starstruck in the presence of someone they truly admire. That was the case for Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett, who did a double-take when he spotted “Game of Thrones” star Jaime Lannister, played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, watching from the stands. Barrett’s reaction, captured during a recent game against the Los Angeles Lakers, quickly went viral after being shared by the fan account @LordSnow, sparking plenty of excitement among NBA fans.

In the viral video, Barrett sinks a shot to tie the game, then runs to the corner to celebrate with fans. Unbeknownst to him, Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau was sitting nearby, casually sipping a cup of coffee. But before Barrett could head back to his position, something happened that will likely remain memorable for both basketball and “Game of Thrones” fans for a very long time.

As the game intensity continued, Barrett glanced back at the front row and suddenly locked eyes with Coster-Waldau, who was seated with his wife, actress Nukâka Coster-Waldau. Stunned, Barrett pointed and called out, “Game of Thrones?” amusing Nukâka and sparking laughter with their playful interaction.

Coster-Waldau seemed genuinely impressed by Barrett’s challenging shot, reacting with wide-eyed admiration. Nukâka also seemed to enjoy their exchange, giggling and gesturing to Coster-Waldau as if to confirm to Barrett that he was indeed the TV personality he thought him to be. The fans sitting in the front row were entertained by the less-than-30-second interaction. Notably, fans were obsessed with the athlete’s starstruck response despite the Raptors’ poor showing during the game, ultimately losing 103-123.

The clip garnered widespread attention on the platform, with over 156K views. “That’s awesome, but it would have been even funnier if RJ played for the Sacramento Kings and said ‘Kingslayer,’” @LakersZoCool wrote. Adding to it, @CeLMyBeLLe remarked, “I would’ve said, ‘Jaime, you should’ve stayed in Winterfell with Brienne.’” “They (I) said he got no right hand just like Jaime f****** Lannister,” joked @WestSS_101, poking fun at Coster-Waldau for ironically holding his coffee with his left hand. Others hailed this surprising encounter in the middle of the game as one “unforgettable” in NBA history.

However, this is not the first time when someone spotted a celebrity and being starstruck in a public space. It happened with Daisy Victoria–who goes by @daisyvictoriax on TikTok. Victoria shared a video where she was singing along with Shania Twain without recognizing the pop sensation at first. But once she did, the woman was not able to hold back her excitement. The overlay text of the video reads, "When you think there's just a friendly lady at the beach club, but it's actually Shania Twain singing with you." People in the comments loved their honest interaction.