NBA Playoffs 2021: Unruly Fan Pours Popcorn Over Injured Russell Westbrook l Check Video & Reactions

LA Lakers Star LeBron James too took to Twitter and said that arenas need to protect players from such instances.

Image Source AFP/Screenshot from Twitter video

New Delhi: While making his exit from the game after suffering an ankle injury, NBA player Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards had popcorn poured over him by an unruly fan.

Though the Philadelphia 76ers continued on and won the game by 120-95 against the Wizards, the deplorable act by the fan captured all the attention. 

Fan dumping his popcorn on Russell Westbrook, who's walking off after twisting his ankle. Fan should be banned for life. No room for this. pic.twitter.com/DXatcX8l9i

— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) May 27, 2021

With 10 minutes for the closure of the game, Westbrook had to be restrained as he was clearly distressed when he was showered with popcorn as he was leaving the court at Well Fargo Center due to an injury her suffered on his right ankle.

Russell Westbrook speaks on the Sixers fan who threw popcorn on him pic.twitter.com/z1sPNswLTS

— 2Cool2Blog (@2Cool2BIog) May 27, 2021

The fan was removed from the game, but later during the press conference Westbrook called out how it's 'getting out of hand' with fans being too comfortable crossing the line and "doing whatever they want to do".

"I'm all for the fans enjoying the game and having fun. It's part of sports, I get it. But there are certain things that cross the line," he continued. "Any other setting, I know for a fact they wouldn't come up, a guy wouldn't come up on the street and pour popcorn on my head because they know what would happen," he added.

He further said that the arena's have gotta start protecting the players, "We'll see what the NBA does, but there's a huge problem for us as players, and for me, where fans they say whatever and the consequences for me are a lot more for me than the fans in the stands because they're untouchable". He further said how fans don't realize that this is his job and it's some he loves to do so to have food thrown at him it just wrong. 

LeBron James took to Twitter and said that arenas need to protect players from such instances.

By the way WE AS THE PLAYERS wanna see who threw that popcorn on Russ while he was leaving the game tonight with a injury!! There’s cameras all over arenas so there’s no excuse! Cause if the 👟 was on the other 🦶🏾.🎥 #ProtectOurPlayers

— LeBron James (@KingJames) May 27, 2021

And he was right, the fan was caught in the act by cameras which were all around the court.

PHILLYFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANS pic.twitter.com/jj2uLdfeVh

— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) May 27, 2021

The Well Fargo Center where the game was happening released a statement later that night condemning the incident and calling such behaviour "classless & unacceptable".

Wells Fargo Center statement on fan behavior at tonight’s Philadelphia 76ers game. pic.twitter.com/4GgNqYcdFp

— Wells Fargo Center (@WellsFargoCtr) May 27, 2021