Isaiah Thomas Suspended Two Games After Entering Stands, Fans Banned
Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Isaiah Thomas has been suspended two games without pay after entering the stands and confronting two Philadelphia fans during the Wizards' game against the 76ers on Saturday night.
“NBA rules state that any player who deliberately enters the spectator stands during a game will be automatically ejected and subject to a fine and/or suspension,” the NBA's statement read.
Earlier Sunday, a 76ers spokesperson said the two fans involved in the incident were banned for a year after they admitted to using inappropriate language and gestures, violating Wells Fargo Center's conduct policy.
After Saturday's game, during which Thomas was ejected for entering the stands and confronting the fans, Thomas revealed that one of them raised both middle fingers and screamed "F--k you, b---h' following a trip to the free throw line.
"I'm never gonna be disrespected in any way," Thomas said following the game. "My dad told me at a young age, 'Don't let anybody ever call you out of your name.'"
Thomas said the fan screamed the profanity three times after he missed his first free throw and made the second. Once a timeout came later in the fourth quarter, he "calmly" confronted the fan in the stands, to which he replied, "Sorry, I just wanted a Frosty."
"I go in the stands, to confront him. I said, 'Don't be disrespectful. I'm a man before anything, and be a fan.' And his response was, 'Sorry, I just wanted a frosty,'" Thomas said.
The Wells Fargo Center seems to have a promotion that if a player on the opposing team misses two free throws, the crowd can receive a free Wendy's Frosty. Thomas did not take this as an appropriate excuse, as he motioned to his security to have the fans removed from the crowd.
"In no way, shape or form that should be allowed, at all," Thomas said. "I've been in the league for a while, fans gonna say whatever they want. Don't ever call me out of my name, cause I would never do that to anybody else. I think that crossed the line."
Thomas seemed to have tweeted his reaction to hearing the news of his suspension Sunday evening.
Fan conduct has been a reoccurring issue in the NBA, including a recent altercation in which the Celtics' Marcus Smart was told by a fan to "get on your knees" while diving for a loose ball.
