Russell Westbrook Has Message For NBA After Fan Incident
WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 19: Bradley Beal #3 and Russell Westbrook #4 of the Washington Wizards talk during a timeout against the Detroit Pistons during a preseason game at Capital One Arena on December 19, 2020 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first round series between the Washington Wizards and the Philadelphia 76ers took a sour turn when a Sixers fan poured popcorn on Russell Westbrook as he entered the visiting tunnel.
In the fourth quarter, Westbrook sustained an ankle sprain forcing him to head to the locker room. As the Wizards point guard hobbled into the tunnel, a fan dumped popcorn on him from the crowd. Westbrook was outraged and needed to be held back by arena security and team staff to prevent him from going into the stands.
The fan was ejected from the game after the incident.
After the Wizards fell 120-95, Westbrook was asked about what happened when he went to the locker room. Considering his history of being harassed by inappropriate fans, he was clearly upset and called upon the NBA to take action.
"I wouldn’t come up to me on the street and throw popcorn on my head, because you know what happens…" Westbrook said in a postgame media session,
Westbrook says, “This shit is out of hand." https://t.co/5SaL0aExJ2
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) May 27, 2021
">per The Athletic's Fred Katz. "In these arenas, you gotta start protecting the players. We’ll see what the NBA does."
“This s--- is out of hand," he continued.
The NBA has yet to comment on the incident involving Westbrook but will surely need to on Thursday morning. Valeria Camillo, the President of Business Operations for the Wells Fargo Center, denounced what happened following the Wizards-Sixers game.
"This was classless, unacceptable behavior, and we're not going to tolerate it at Wells Fargo Center. We're proud to have the most passionate fans in the country and the best home-court and home-ice advantage around, but this type of behavior has no place in our arena," Camillo wrote in a statement after the game,
Statement from the President of Business Ops of the Wells Fargo Center on the Westbrook/fan popcorn incident: “This was classless, unacceptable behavior, and we’re not going to tolerate it...” https://t.co/xfyJBr9qR1pic.twitter.com/2z296ay3HT
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) May 27, 2021
">per ESPN's Malika Andrews.
The series between the Wizards and 76ers will head back to Washington for Game 3 on Saturday night. Time will tell if Westbrook is able to suit up for the important game.
