After an altercation between Isaiah Thomas and one Philadelphia 76ers fan last week, the NBA suspended Thomas for two games. Thomas and two fans were ejected from the game immediately following the incident.
Thomas’s suspension shouldn’t come as a surprise to him or NBA fans. The association has a strict policy on players entering the stands, and Thomas broke that policy.
His reaction to the two-game suspension is short and sweet.
Fortunately, the fan that shouted obscenities at Thomas was also punished for his actions. The two fans that were ejected from the game last week both received a year-long ban from the 76ers’ arena, Wells Fargo Center.
One, a season ticket holder, will be issued a refund for the season’s remaining games, but next season, he is not allowed to keep his seats.
Moving forward, the NBA should do more to keep situations like this from occurring. Thomas shouldn’t have entered the stands, but he was calm and collected during his interaction with an unruly spectator. Disrespectful fans should be removed from the arena before the athletes feel the need to confront them.