Spectator evictions on the rise in the NBA

The Suns had a tough night on their last trip to Orlando. Not only because of the difficulty Monty Williams’ men had in overcoming the Magic, but also because of an incident between a “fan” sitting in the front row and Deandre Ayton.

Placed close to the field, not far from the bench of the Suns, the person in question saw fit to continue to copiously insult the pivot of the Suns while the latter, focused on his match, did not see fit to answer him. From the bench, JaVale McGee then took steps to ensure that the “fan” was simply kicked out of the room, as is now the rule in the event of an overflow with a player.

“He was talking badly to one of my teammates, to Deandre”, said JaVale McGee before the game of the night against the Raptors. “And so I spoke to him badly. We can’t afford this kind of thing. You can tell a player to sit down, whatever, but you’re not going to call out a player as a bitch. It’s not correct. I saw him talking to him, I ran into him, and he was fired as he should be.

In the end, not only was the viewer in question fired manu militaribut the provocations did not even bother Deandre Ayton who for his part assured that he had not heard anything.

“I haven’t heard from anyone to be honest. During a match, I hear my mother. That’s all. I can’t hear anyone else in the stands. I just stay focused and try to win the game.”said the Bahamian pivot.

Unfortunately, since the return of the spectators in the rooms, the incidents of this kind tend to multiply, obliging players, like LeBron James, to come to the police when an overflow of this kind occurs. We also remember that Russell Westbrook was attacked several times by spectators, even throwing popcorn on his head… During the last playoffs, it was Ja Morant and his relatives who were insulted by spectators in Salt Lake City. Thursday evening again, it happened in Philadelphia, when a fan a little too aggressive towards Ben Simmons, finally had to be renewed at the exit.

Social networks in question?

“Fans tend to say things sometimes on the pitch. They forget that this is real life”noted Suns fullback Landry Shamet. “It’s not a zoo. You can’t just talk to people anyhow. I don’t know what was said, but it was enough to get him kicked out.”

For JaVale McGee, the exposure of players on social media and the semblance of closeness they provide to their community causes fans to act in ways that are… far too familiar.

“Fans think they know you and can talk to you anyhow”he added. “Like we were friends or something, when not at all. We are also humans. If we weren’t famous, and you saw us, you wouldn’t talk to us like that (…). Besides, it’s stupid of them. They have paid dearly to come to see us and are wasting their money speaking badly to us”.