Sixers fan who taunted Melo banned indefinitely
- Lakers and NBA reporter for ESPN.
- Covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14, the Cavaliers from 2014-18 for ESPN.com and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09.
The fan who taunted Los Angeles Lakers forward Carmelo Anthony during the Philadelphia 76ers’ game against L.A. on Thursday has been banned indefinitely from Sixers games and all future events at Wells Fargo Center, a 76ers spokesperson told ESPN on Friday.
Anthony confronted the fan standing behind the row of courtside seats near center court midway through the fourth quarter of Philadelphia’s 105-87 win over the Lakers after Anthony said the fan repeatedly referred to him as “boy.”
The fan was summarily ejected after the incident caused game action to pause for several minutes while the referees attempted to restore order and guide Anthony away from him.
An investigation conducted in the 24 hours since the game found that the individual, who was not identified by the team, was a repeat violator of the Sixers’ fan code of conduct, a source familiar with the situation told ESPN.
He had previously been warned and disciplined for those offenses. The individual is not currently a Sixers season ticket holder.
“Some things were said,” Anthony said after Thursday’s game. “Unacceptable. I’m cool with fans heckling, fans talking trash, cheering for their team, booing the other team, I’m all for that. But when you cross certain lines, as a man, you just, that’s what you’re going to see. That’s what you’re going to get, as you saw there.”
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