A Dallas Mavericks superfan who has drawn the ire of numerous opposing players will not be attending home games for a long time, as the team has apparently determined some of his recent antics crossed the line.
Earlier this season, Los Angeles Clippers guard Patrick Beverley was ejected from a game in Dallas and subsequently fined $25,000 for throwing a ball in the direction of Knobler, who sits courtside. Beverley later told reporters he can tolerate heckling, but he lost his cool when Knobler shouted “f— your mother” twice at him. According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, the Mavericks investigated Beverley’s claims and have banned Knobler from the American Airlines Arena for the rest of the season after determining they were accurate.
A video of the incident confirmed that Knobler and Beverley exchanged words, but Knobler claimed he only shouted “your mother” at Beverley after the veteran guard knocked Dennis Smith Jr.’s tooth out with an elbow earlier in the game. He denied using profanity.
Sources told MacMahon that fans who have sat near Knobler at Mavericks home games have complained that he inappropriately heckled opposing players on other occasions, so the fact that it was not an isolated incident likely played a role in the team’s decision.
Dealing with obnoxious fans is part of the job when you’re a professional athlete, but we have seen plenty of instances where the remarks cross the line. The Mavericks obviously felt that Knobler has been responsible for too many of those.
