Wolves superstar Kevin Garnett was ejected during the third quarter of Minnesota's home game against Memphis after tossing the ball into the stands, inadvertently hitting a fan in the face.

According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the fan received medical attention and a chorus of apologies from Garnett and team officials after the game.

Garnett said he was frustrated with a foul called against him with 8:20 remaining in the quarter as he tried to make a steal against Pau Gasol. Less than a minute later, Garnett received a technical foul from official Bob Delaney and was ejected.

"I thought the call that was before that was sort of a cheap call," Garnett said. "I just came down and was frustrated. By no means was I trying to hit a fan. If anything, I was trying to get a delay of game. Unfortunately, that happened. I apologized to the little girl and her father."

Garnett said he was surprised by the ejection, though NBA rules stipulate a player must be ejected if he throws a ball into the stands.

"I wasn't trying to put it in the stands," he said. "It was one of them delay-of-game kind of tosses. I didn't know if it passes a certain mark and it goes into the seats that you get ejected. I felt like (expletive) after that because I hurt my team. I should have had a little more control than that."

Garnett continued: "I just tossed it. I really didn't even look at where I tossed it, I was so (expletive) mad."

"He just kind of took the ball and swung it like that, but it wasn't real hard," said St. Paul resident Kevin Zenk, who was seated behind the man who was hit and said he was a witness. "It just caught the gentleman in front of me just to the right of his nose in the face. He had a little girl next to him, and (the ball) didn't touch the little girl at all."

Fans booed the man as he was wheeled away from the court.

"He overreacted, in all of our view," Zenk said. "I kind of figured the Oscars were next week, but I don't know if the nominations are all in. He played it up."