Russell Westbrook had a highly publicized exchange with a fan earlier this week that led to a conversation about inappropriate conduct from fans at Utah Jazz home games, and two people have now been permanently banned from the team’s arena as a result.
Westbrook felt a fan crossed the line when he heckled him during Monday night’s game, and the Oklahoma City Thunder star threatened the fan and his wife. Westbrook was fined $25,000 by the NBA for issuing the threat and using profanity, and the fan was permanently banned by the Jazz.
Later in the week, a second fan who was caught on video calling Westbrook “boy” during Game 4 of last year’s first-round playoff series between the Thunder and Jazz was also permanently banned from Vivint Arena. Jazz digital media reporter Eric Woodyard was told by a source that the team is not “taking these matters lightly.”
The footage from last year’s playoff game showed a fan shouting “boy” at Westbrook multiple times, and Westbrook called a security staffer over to point the fan out.
After the latest incident between a Jazz fan and Westbrook gained widespread attention, the NBA asked teams to step up their efforts to prevent inappropriate behavior from fans. Other teams will likely do the same as the Jazz if they catch fans engaging in similar behavior.
