Wizards' Brooks: 76ers Fan Should Be Banned for Dumping Popcorn on Russell Westbrook

Timothy Rapp @@TRappaRTFeatured Columnist IVMay 27, 2021

Washington Wizards' Russell Westbrook (4) is helped to the locker room after an injury during the second half of Game 2 in a first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers, Wednesday, May 26, 2021, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

AP Photo/Matt Slocum

A Philadelphia 76ers fan dumped popcorn on Russell Westbrook as he was leaving Wednesday's Game 2 loss versus the Philadelphia 76ers in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury.

Derek Bodner @DerekBodnerNBA
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

After the game, Wizards head coach Scott Brooks said the fan should never be welcomed back to an NBA game.

"Philadelphia's better than that, if it did happen ... hopefully that person is banned from the league," he told reporters.

Chase Hughes @ChaseHughesNBCS
Scott Brooks on Russell Westbrook leaving with an injury: "He's not happy he wasn't able to finish the game."

Westbrook, meanwhile, didn't hold back when addressing the situation.

"I wouldn't come up to me on the street and throw popcorn on my head, because you know what happens ..." he told reporters. "In these arenas, you gotta start protecting the players. We'll see what the NBA does."

LeBron James and Bradley Beal agreed:

LeBron James @KingJames
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

Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Bradley Beal on fan throwing popcorn on Russell Westbrook: "It's disgusting."

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"It may be one bad apple," Beal added. "That's BS. We got a lot of nasty fans. I even got some crazy language spoken to me tonight and my kids are sitting there."

The Wells Fargo Center, home of the Sixers and Philadelphia Flyers, released a statement of its own:

John Clark @JClarkNBCS
Statement from Wells Fargo Center on fan dumping popcorn on Russell Westbrook <br><br>“This was classless, unacceptable behavior, and we’re not going to tolerate it” pic.twitter.com/GqYHYmRTNj

The Sixers beat the Wizards 120-95 on Wednesday night, taking a 2-0 lead in the first-round series. Game 3 heads to Washington on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN).