'Knucklehead' Fan Banned From Capital One Arena For Rushing Floor

WASHINGTON, DC — In a week when NBA fans have “taken liberties” in the way they have behaved at playoff games around the league, a spectator at Monday’s Washington Wizards-Philadelphia 76ers game has been banned from Capital One Arena after rushing the floor as the Wizards staved off elimination.

Monumental Sports and Entertainment announced in a tweet that the fan, who has not been identified, faces criminal charges by District of Columbia Metropolitan Police after he ran onto the court and pretended to try to dunk during play in the third quarter of the Wizards' 122-114 victory over the 76ers.

The fan was immediately tackled by arena security and gestured to fans as he was led off the floor.

The incident was latest in a series of bad acts by fans involving NBA players. Earlier in the series, a fan dumped popcorn on the Wizards’ Russell Westbrook as he was leaving the floor. Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving had a water bottle thrown at him at a game. And Atlanta’s Trae Young was spat upon during a game in New York before Monday’s incident involving the fan.

“We all know fans shouldn’t be doing that stuff — that shouldn’t happen during the game,” Wizards All-Star Bradley Beal told reporters Monday. “Just sit there and enjoy the game or stay home and watch it on TV.”

After starting the season with no fans due to coronavirus pandemic restrictions, Capital One Arena has expanded to 50 percent capacity, with 10,665 in attendance at Monday’s game. The fan ran onto the court as play was moving toward that end of the floor. Referees stopped the game as the fan was removed from the floor by security.

“You can tell those people have been in some sort of captivity for the last year, year and change, right?” Wizards center Robin Lopez told reporters. “It’s kind of wild to see the liberties people are taking.”

Wizards coach Scott Brooks took exception to the recent behavior, which he characterized on Monday as “barbaric.”

“It’s actually embarrassing for all those fans who do that. The NBA has great fans. I’ve played in Philadelphia. They have great fans. They have one knucklehead who decided to throw popcorn. Boston has great fans. They have one knucklehead who decided to throw a water bottle. New York has great fans. I played there. I played in Boston, but I got cut,” Brooks told reporters on Monday. "New York has great fans. One knucklehead decided to spit on somebody. We have great fans. One knucklehead tried to come into the arena, and it’s unacceptable. It’s not good.”

He added: “Your thinking is barbaric. Stay home. We don’t need you. We don’t need your dollars. Just stay home.”