Morant's father says banned Jazz fans made racist, vulgar remarks
Warning: Story contains coarse language
The father of Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant says the three Utah Jazz fans that the team banned on Thursday directed racist and vulgar comments at his family during Wednesday's Game 2 in Salt Lake City.
"The Utah Jazz have zero tolerance for offensive or disruptive behavior," a team statement acquired by The New York Times' Marc Stein read.
"An incident occurred last night involving a verbal altercation," the statement continued. "Arena security staff intervened, and the investigation resulted in the removal and banning of three Jazz fans indefinitely."
The three fans were ejected for directing racist and vulgar remarks towards Morant's family, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon.
"I know heckling," Tee Morant, Ja's father, told MacMahon. "We were doing that the whole game. But that's different than heckling. That's straight-up disrespectful. That was too far out of line. You don't say nothing like that heckling. That's beyond heckling."
Tee Morant also said that a fan made a sexually charged comment at his wife, Jamie, and another said, "I'll put a nickel in your back and watch you dance, boy." Another fan shouted, "Shut the f--- up, b----," according to Morant.
"My family should be able (to) cheer for me & my teammates without getting inappropriate shit said to them," Ja tweeted on Thursday.
"We apologize to all who were impacted by this unfortunate incident and condemn unacceptable fan behavior," the Jazz's statement added. The team did not expand on the incident with further details.
Incidents involving fans marred all three of Wednesday's first-round playoff matchups.
The Philadelphia 76ers banned a fan indefinitely for pouring popcorn on Washington Wizards star Russell Westbrook, and the New York Knicks followed suit with the same punishment for a fan who spit on Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young.
Wizards All-Star Bradley Beal also claimed to have heard something "crazy" from a Sixers fan seated near his family during Washington's 120-95 Game 2 loss in Philly.
Also on Thursday, a Utah judge tossed out a $100-million lawsuit filed against Westbrook and the Jazz on behalf of two supporters banned from Utah's games in March 2019 for taunts directed at Westbrook. The suit from Jazz fans Shane Keisel and Jennifer Huff alleged defamation and the infliction of emotional stress, court documents said, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.