Players with the Oklahoma City Thunder tweeted images showing the nose of their plane damaged after they arrived at Chicago's Midway International Airport. After losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night, the team chartered a flight out of Minneapolis to fly to Chicago for a game with the Bulls.
Somewhere along the way, the nose of their flight was damaged in mid-air. Multiple players with the team posted photos of the smashed-in nose to their social media accounts.
In a post on Instagram, Carmelo Anthony reassured fans that everyone was safe, if not confused, on how the plane became dented in the first place.
"What possibly could we have hit in the SKY at this time of night? Everyone is Safe, Though. #ThunderStrong"
Delta Airlines (the carrier responsible for operating the team's flight that night) told The Oklahoman that the charter likely encountered a bird while descending into Chicago.
"Delta flight 8935, operating from Minneapolis to Chicago-Midway as a charter flight for the Oklahoma City Thunder, likely encountered a bird while on descent into Chicago. The aircraft, a Boeing 757-200, landed safely without incident; customers have since deplaned and maintenance teams are evaluating. Safety is Delta's top priority."
Team officials say the flight was a little rough, but nothing out of the ordinary.