PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Wizards star Russell Westbrook became enraged Wednesday night, and it wasn’t because the Sixers now lead a playoff series 2-0 for the first time since 2003.
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Early in the fourth quarter, Westbrook was walking to the locker room due to an injured ankle when a Sixers fan from above poured popcorn on him.
Wells Fargo Center President of Business Operations Valerie Camillo said in a statement that this act was “classless, unacceptable behavior, and we’re not going to tolerate it at Wells Fargo Center.”
Footage appears to show a security guard escort the popcorn-pourer from the lower bowl.
Westbrook let loose postgame.
“Blatantly honest man — this [expletive] is getting out of hand,” he said about inappropriate fan behavior in NBA arenas. “Especially for me.”
This is not the first time Westbrook has experienced a disrespectful interaction with a fan. In 2016, a Sixers fan gave Westbrook the double bird when he was on the Oklahoma City Thunder.
NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark caught up with the fan, Richard Harkaway, who claims Westbrook voiced some unkind words toward him and his wife after they booed him on Opening Night 2016. In hindsight, he admits he’s not proud of what he did.
“The amount of disrespect, the amount of fans just doing whatever the [expletive] they want to do, it’s just out of pocket,” Westbrook said Wednesday night.
He added he’s all for fans having fun, but this popcorn incident crossed the line.
“Any other setting, I know for a fact that … a guy wouldn’t come on the street and pour popcorn on my head because he knows what would happen. A guy wouldn’t come up to me and talk mess about my kids, family on the street because the response would be different,” he said.
Westbrook and fellow Wizards star Bradley Beal believe the players have to be protected better in NBA arenas. Lakers superstar LeBron James, who witnessed the popcorn fiasco from afar, agreed.
“Granted, it may be one bad apple — whatever the case may be — but that’s still not a good look for the city and for the team and for all fans,” said Beal.
The Sixers said Thursday morning that the fan’s season ticket membership has been revoked, effective immediately. He is also banned from all events at the Wells Fargo Center indefinitely.