Kyle Lowry was shoved by a fan who was sitting courtside for the Toronto Raptors’ win over the Golden State Warriors in Game 3 on Thursday night, and Lowry told reporters after the game that he hopes the fan is banned for life. Suddenly, that seems like it would be a very complicated decision.
According to a report from Ina Fried of Axios, the fan who shoved Lowry was much more than just a fan. His name is Mark Stevens, and he is apparently a part-owner of the Warriors. Neither the team nor the NBA confirmed the info, but Fried was told by sources that the league and the Warriors are investigating the incident.
Stevens became a member of Golden State’s ownership group in 2013. Majority owner Joe Lacob said at the time that he was “extremely excited” to be partnering with him.
“We’re extremely excited about the addition of Mark to our ownership group,” Lacob said. “He brings an incredible track record of success in the business world, primarily as a venture capitalist in the Bay Area, and his expertise on many levels will certainly aid us in our quest to become a World Class organization. We’ve managed to take a step closer to that goal today with Mark’s arrival.”
Lowry was understandably upset by the incident, and cameras appeared to show the “fan” being escorted from his seat at some point after the shove. That type of behavior probably would lead to a lifetime ban for the average person, but it will be interesting to see how the Warriors proceed given the alleged circumstances.
UPDATE: The Warriors have confirmed that it was Stevens who shoved Lowry and released a statement addressing the incident.
