Oklahoma City Thunder All Star point guard Russell Westbrook explained to reporters after Monday night's win in Utah that a Jazz fan told him to "Get down on your knees like you're used to," which led to a verbal altercation near the Thunder bench.
Westbrook can be seen telling the fan, "I'll fuck you up. You and your wife. I'll fuck you up."
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Following the Thunder's 98-89 victory, Westbrook explained what happened, per Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune:
"The realization of it is, how it started was, a young man and his wife in the stands told me 'to get down on my knees like you used to.' To me, that's just completely disrespectful, to me, I think it's racial, and I think it's inappropriate."
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Westbrook's teammate Patrick Patterson added:
"Fans can say shit about a mans family, wife, & kids.. Tell a player “Get down on your knees like your use to.” As men, what do you expect us to do? Shut up & dribble? No one is held accountable for their actions except for us. Fans are protected in every way possible but not us."
The fan was later identified as 45-year-old Shane Keisel. He told ESPN that he "did not cuss" at Westbrook or say anything inappropriate.
Per ESPN:
Keisel claimed that the exchange "started off as fun" with him yelling at Westbrook to "Ice those knees up!" According to Keisel, after Westbrook replied that it was heat on his knees, Keisel hollered, "You're going to need it."
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