When it comes to NBA players kicking or throwing a basketball into the stands, the league will have none of it. According to Shams Charania, the league office sent out a memo to all 30 teams as a friendly reminder that this is not allowed, and that “there have been an increased number of such incidents this season.”
The most recent incident occurred this past Saturday when rookie Luka Doncic kicked the ball into the stands during the Dallas Mavericks’ matchup against the Indiana Pacers. The occurrence, which took place three minutes shy of the end of the third quarter, led to the ejection of Doncic. The following Tuesday, the league hit Doncic with a fine of $10,000.
It’s not just kicking the ball, but also throwing it into the stands, that the league is looking to cut out. This has happened multiple times this season, including during a December game between the Orlando Magic and Phoenix Suns. The actions of Magic forward Terrence Ross earned him a $25,000 fine.
In a similar event just days later, Andre Iguodala of the Golden State Warriors found himself ejected during halftime in the team’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers. Right at the buzzer signaling the end of the first half, Iguodala heaved the ball into the stands. This eventually brought him the same fate as Ross, with the league assessing Iggy a $25,000 fine.
The reason for the league’s concern is rooted in safety for the fans and isn’t exclusive to just basketballs making their way into the fan seating. Any object thrown or kicked into the stands is punishable by ejection and fine, and it doesn’t seem like the league is looking to cut any slack on incidents like this moving forward.
Follow Us
Subscribe