On Monday, the NBA was handed a rather unpleasant issue stemming from an interaction between Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook and a Utah Jazz fan at Vivint Smart Home Arena.
Westbrook was shown (on camera) engaging in a heated discussion with this fan, shouting obscenities and threatening physical confrontation with the man and his wife.
For his part, Westbrook explained after the game that the man had repeatedly jeered at him and made racially charged comments. This explanation was later verified by video evidence from the crowd, and the Jazz made the decision to ban the man from the arena for life.
Westbrook was also fined $25,000 by the league office for threatening the fan and his wife.
Now, Shams Charania of The Athletic is reporting that the league is asking all organizations to take action regarding fan involvement:
In wake of Russell Westbrook/Utah fan incident, the NBA has sent a memo to its 30 teams asking them to create PSA or league-developed spot to stress “importance of respect and civility in NBA arenas.”
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 14, 2019
This PSA comes after a slew of incidents between players and fans this year, including an incident where a young Nuggets fan appeared to push Westbrook in a game in Denver in late-February.
Westbrook has also had problems with the fans in Utah before.
The Thunder played the Jazz in the first round of the 2018 playoffs. After a Game 6 loss that would clinch the series for Utah, Westbrook got into an altercation with a fan in the tunnel, appearing to swipe at the crowd and making physical gestures.
He explained then that some of the fans in Utah crossed the line with vulgarity and race-baiting. Unfortunately, things do not seem to have changed, and the NBA is looking to take measures to increase respectfulness and ensure player comfort and safety.
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