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Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkić is sidelined but that didn’t keep him out of the headlines after he decided to get in a Pacer fan’s face courtside and throw his cellphone into the stands in a fit of anger on Sunday night as a security guard tried to intervene.
The Portland NBA player has been benched with plantar fasciitis since last month. However, that did not keep him from casually walking over to confront a fan who was sitting with friends who were heckling Nurkić. He exchanged fiery words with his critic as he towered over him. The heckler seemed to think it was a smart move to mouth off to the larger-than-life player and apparently said something offensive to Nurkić.
Someone could be heard laughing during the viral video as the big man approached, looking decidedly unhappy.
The fan was completely shocked that Nurkić would toss his phone, cluelessly asking, “Why’d you throw my phone?” It’s doubtful he got an apology. The angry center walked away before things escalated even further.
Jusuf Nurkic takes Pacers fans phone and throws it. pic.twitter.com/KafdHuCSqa
— Setting The 🅿️ace🏀🎙 (@SettingThePace3) March 21, 2022
It’s not evident what caused the confrontation with the Bosnian player or what transpired afterward, according to the New York Post. The incident followed the Blazers’ 129-98 blowout loss to Indiana.
Nurkić did not give any interviews to the press after the game. He did tweet photos of himself in his burgundy outfit while sidelined at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The center will probably end up being fined once the league gets to the bottom of the situation. Snatching phones and physical confrontations with fans are frowned upon by the NBA.
In February, the Trail Blazers announced that he would have to undergo a reevaluation in four weeks due to an injury. His previous two seasons have been marred by them.
Thank you @bosnianbeast27 for the signed jersey and picture 😎 @trailblazers pic.twitter.com/Yw3tE1yi4k
— Mirnes (@MTursunovic41) March 21, 2022
Nurkić is not the only player making headlines for angry behavior on the court either.
In January, Houston Rockets point guard Kevin Porter Jr. was offended because he was criticized during halftime. He didn’t bother to return for the second half of the game; instead, he stormed out of the building. His team would go on to lose the game with the Denver Nuggets 124-111.
Porter totally lost it after assistant coach John Lucas tore into players for getting 47 points dropped on them in the second quarter. That prompted the fit and Porter allegedly got so angry he “threw an object” when leaving the venue.
Sources: After Rockets assistant John Lucas called out multiple players including Kevin Porter Jr. and Christian Wood at halftime tonight vs. Nuggets, Porter had a heated exchange with Lucas, threw an object and promptly left the arena – and Wood refused to sub into second half.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 2, 2022
A number of basketball players have gotten into it with fans this season.
A fan was ejected for slapping Rajon Rondo’s hand away from his face during a faceoff between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns. LeBron James had two fans ejected for offensive comments in a game with the Pacers. A fan in Philadelphia was also ejected and banned from Wells Fargo Center for life for calling Carmelo Anthony “boy.” Russell Westbrook got into it with a fan before a game who called him “Westbrick.” There are other examples out there too.
Somehow this got reported? But my wife is just like KD when I say I’m getting one more drink. pic.twitter.com/qcNZygISMm
— DeLo (@DeLo_77) March 17, 2022
Kevin Durant was fined by the NBA last week for cussing a fan out, according to TMZ Sports and the list goes on.
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