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Russell Westbrook was involved in an unfortunate incident during Game 2 between the Washington Wizards and the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday (May 26). A Sixers fan poured popcorn on the former league MVP while he was leaving the court following an injury scare.
Russell Westbrook had to be held back by team staff and security as he appeared to be outraged by the incident. The Wizards star later expressed his displeasure over the debacle, and other NBA stars have also come out to condemn the fan, who has been indefinitely banned by the Philadelphia 76ers.
5 instances where Russell Westbrook was involved in altercations with NBA fans
Russell Westbrook is a player who is known to play with his heart on his sleeve, exuding passion and expressing his emotions whenever he is on an NBA court. However, the all-time NBA leader still gets unwarranted hate from fans, as was the case yesterday in the game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
We take a look at 5 occasions where Russell Westbrook ended up in an altercation with NBA fans.
#5 OKC Thunder vs Philadelphia 76ers, 2016
Russell Westbrook's recent run-in with the Philadelphia 76ers fanbase is nothing new. A Sixers fan was ejected in 2016 for an obscene gesture directed towards the point guard. Westbrook, who was a part of the OKC Thunder back then, was equally bemused and agitated by the incident.
However, he refrained from getting involved with the offender, and ended up having the last laugh as he scored 32 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in a comfortable 103-97 OKC Thunder win.
#4 OKC Thunder vs Utah Jazz, 2019
Back in 2019, Russell Westbrook was part of another incident that involved provocation from a fan. Some exasperating words from a Utah Jazz fan led to Westbrook firing back, which eventually resulted in the supporter getting banned for life and the former Houston Rockets guard being hit with a hefty $25,000 fine.
Utah Jazz players including Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and Thabo Sefolosha came out in support of Russell Westbrook, and this instance brought the issue of fans' unruly behavior towards players in the spotlight.
#3 OKC Thunder vs Denver Nuggets, 2018
In 2018, Russell Westbrook shoved a Denver Nuggets fan who stepped onto the court and heckled the guard by hurling provocations at him. The incident took place after Gary Harris' game-winner, which enabled the Denver Nuggets to inflict a 127-124 loss upon Westbrook's Thunder.
Russell Westbrook escaped without punishment or a fine, while the fan was banned from all further games by the Denver Nuggets.
#2 OKC Thunder vs Utah Jazz, 2018
During the 2018 postseason, Russell Westbrook was involved in an ugly incident with multiple Utah Jazz fans, as the OKC Thunder exited the playoffs in the first round following a series loss to Quin Snyder's team in six games.
Westbrook had a poor shooting night as he finished with 18-for-43 for 46 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists. Unkind words and unwarranted instigation from Utah Jazz fans didn't help, as Westbrook vented his frustration at the supporters.
#1 Houston Rockets vs LA Lakers, 2020
Russell Westbrook had a forgettable campaign with the Houston Rockets as the team ended up crashing out in the Western Conference semi-finals. The Rockets lost four straight games to the Lakers after winning Game 1, as Westbrook had a nightmare series.
In the last game of the series, Russell Westbrook was involved in a verbal altercation with Rajon Rondo's brother William Rondo, who was a part of the limited number of guests present at the arena. Rondo's brother called Westbrook "trash" and waved him goodbye in the 4th quarter.
William Rondo was ejected from the game with immediate effect, while no action was taken against Russell Westbrook. The explosive guard was quite blunt in his assessment of the situation, condemning Rondo's behavior. Meanwhile, Rajon Rondo was of the view that it was a minor heated exchange, pleading his brother's innocence in the incident.
Also Read: 3 things Miami Heat need to do to make a comeback against the Milwaukee Bucks | NBA Playoffs 2021
