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Tag: ejected

Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban invites fan ejected for ‘Fire Nico’ protest back to sit courtside

A Dallas Mavericks fan ejected from a game this week after protesting against general manager Nico Harrison for the Luka Doncic trade was invited back to sit courtside courtesy of minority owner Mark Cuban.

Garrett Bussey and his friend Chris Taylor, die-hard Mavericks fans, were among the few fans that were ejected from Monday night’s game against the Sacramento Kings after they shouted “Fire Nico,” a message they also had printed on their shirts.

A fan with a #77 jersey yells “Fire Nico,” referencing Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison as a security member approaches him in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in Dallas on Monday, Feb. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

The pair told WFAA during an interview this week that the incident took place during the second half of the game while the Mavericks shot free throws.

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“We did ‘Fire Nico’ [chant], and it was the first time we had done it all night,” Taylor told the station. They were quickly met by security and escorted out of American Airlines Center for allegedly violating the NBA code of conduct rules.

Taylor also told the station that Cuban “started yelling” at him before he was escorted out, further escalating the situation.

In a statement to WFAA, Cuban explained his side of things.

“Fans were booing during crunch time while we had the ball and while we were shooting FTs (free throws). I wanted to see why. So, I looked where they were looking. When the guy (it was just one) saw me, he started screaming at me. I had no idea what he said, he was a good 25 rows away, but he was obviously mad.”

Dallas Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban during the first half against the Chicago Bulls at American Airlines Center on Nov. 6, 2024. (Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images)

MAVERICKS FANS EJECTED OVER ‘FIRE NICO’ PROTESTS AMID GROWING ANIMOSITY OVER LUKA DONCIC TRADE

Cuban added to his statement, saying that the shouting from the fan happened the “whole game.”

“I didn’t care what he was saying. He was saying it the whole game. I cared that fans were booing him while we had the ball in crunch time or were shooting FTs. The time when they should be silent, or cheering for the Mavs, that was it.”

Bussey told WMAQ that he spoke with Cuban after the game and was invited back to sit courtside with his 7-year-old son for Wednesday’s game.

Bussey called it a “step in the right direction” for a fan base that was left reeling after the team’s star player was traded away.

A pair of fans, one waving, are escorted out of the game after holding up a sign that said “Fire Nico,” referencing the Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in Dallas on Monday, Feb. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

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Doncic led the NBA in scoring last season and helped the Mavericks reach an NBA Finals appearance, but he was dealt away to the Los Angeles Lakers in one of the most controversial trades in recent memory.

Fans have since expressed their disdain for Harrison, the mastermind behind the trade, prompting the organization to reportedly increase his security before last weekend’s games.

At least one other fan was ejected from Monday’s game for a similar protest.

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February 14, 2025
Mavericks fans ejected over ‘Fire Nico’ protests amid growing animosity over Luka Doncic trade

It was an exodus of disgruntled Dallas Mavericks fans at American Airlines Center on Monday night after security was seen escorting several people out of the arena after they called for general manager Nico Harrison’s job following the Luka Doncic trade.

Security escorted out several fans that either held up “Fire Nico” signs or shouted out the phrase during the Mavericks’ one-point loss to the Sacramento Kings.

A pair of fans, one waving, is escorted out of the game after holding up a sign that said “Fire Nico,” referencing the Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, during the game against the Sacramento Kings in Dallas, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

During a karaoke segment where fans sang along to Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” one man was shown on the Jumbotron mouthing the phrase “Fire Nico.”

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The camera quickly panned away.

That same man was also seen holding a sign with the same phrasing. He and another man holding the sign were later seen being escorted away from their seats in a video shared on social media.

According to The Dallas Morning News, two more fans were escorted out in the fourth quarter. Each time, the escorts were met by boos from fans in the surrounding area.

A fan yells, “Fire Nico,” referencing Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison as security approaches him during the Sacramento Kings game in Dallas, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

MAVERICKS GM GETTING BOOST IN SECURITY FOR FIRST HOME GAME SINCE LUKA DONČIĆ TRADE AFTER DEATH THREATS: REPORT

Doncic led the NBA in scoring last season and helped the Mavericks reach an NBA Finals appearance, but was dealt away to the Los Angeles Lakers in one of the most controversial trades in recent memory.

Fans have since expressed their disdain for Harrison, the mastermind behind the trade, prompting the organization to reportedly increase his security before Saturday’s game over the weekend.

The Lakers acquired Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, while the Mavericks got Anthony Davis, Max Christie and Los Angeles’ 2029 first-round pick. To complete the deal, the Utah Jazz acquired Jalen Hood-Schifino and two second-round picks.

Mavericks guard Luka Doncic drives against Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis in Dallas, Dec. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

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But Davis sustained a groin injury in his debut for Dallas and will be sidelined at least through the All-Star break.

Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.

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February 11, 2025
Angel Reese becomes first player ejected from Unrivaled league and then calls coverage of it ‘clickbait’

Controversial women’s basketball superstar Angel Reese became the first player to be ejected from a game in the startup Unrivaled league on Saturday. She then called a Sports Illustrated article covering the incident “clickbait.”

Reese was ejected during the Rose Basketball Club’s matchup against Vinyl Basketball Club in the second quarter. She was called for a foul against Tiffany Hayes, then she earned a technical foul after making an offensive gesture toward a referee. When she started arguing that foul, she got a second technical, and refs tossed her from the game after that.

Reese wasted very little time after the historic ejection to vent her feelings on social media, firing off a series of posts on X. One was a re-sharing of the Sports Illustrated article covering the ejection, which she captioned with her criticism.

“Clickbait. Everything I do keep going viral,” Reese wrote over the article.

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Reese and Rose Basketball Club were already in last place with a 1-4 record going into Saturday’s game, but things got worse after the star’s ejection. Rose lost 79-73 as Vinyl’s Rhyne Howard dropped 33 points on Reese’s squad amid the ejection.

Reese has been one of the most controversial stars in women’s basketball ever since her infamous late-game showboating in the 2023 NCAA women’s basketball championship game. Reese led LSU to a 102-85 victory over Caitlin Clark and Iowa that March and bragged about it by pointing to her finger in front of Clark’s face to remind her rival who was getting the ring.

It was a moment that Reese says “changed my life forever,” in the first episode of her podcast.

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Angel Reese of the Rose takes a moment against the Vinyl during a timeout at Wayfair Arena. (Jim Rassol-Imagn Images)

“I think it’s really just the fans, her fans, the Iowa fans, now the Indiana fans, that are really just, they ride for her, and I respect that, respectfully. But sometimes it’s very disrespectful. I think there’s a lot of racism when it comes to it,” Reese said.

Reese even alleges that some fans have made AI-generated images of her, depicting her without clothes on, and sent them to her family members.

The two renewed their rivalry the following season in the 2024 Elite 8, as Clark got her revenge by defeating Reese and LSU 94-87. After the game, Reese cried at the post-game press conference as she recounted the harassment she received following the previous season’s controversy.

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Sky forward Angel Reese walks on the court at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Aug. 25, 2024. (Kamil Krzaczynski-USA Today Sports)

In four head-to-head WNBA matchups this past season, Clark’s Indiana Fever beat Reese’s Chicago Sky three times. In just two of those contests, Reese put up more points than Clark, while pulling down more rebounds than Clark in all four meetings. Clark registered more assists in all four meetings.

Reese’s Sky also committed several controversial fouls against Clark in those meetings, including one from Reese herself when she slammed her arm into Clark’s head in a game in June, resulting in a flagrant-1.

The two won’t be bringing their rivalry to Unrivaled, at least not this year. Clark declined to join the league despite an aggressive push from its ownership group.

But even with Clark not in that league, Reese is still finding ways to stir trouble.

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Jackson Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital. He previously worked for ESPN and Business Insider. Jackson has covered the Super Bowl and NBA Finals, and has interviewed iconic figures Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Roger Clemens.

February 2, 2025
Two players ejected after shoving fiasco, LSU’s Kim Mulkey slaps clipboard in chippy college basketball game

Tempers flared during Thursday’s highly anticipated Top-25 women’s college basketball matchup between the one-loss LSU Tigers and the Oklahoma Sooners.

The game featured players shoving — which led to ejections — coach’s technical fouls and a noticeable clipboard-slapping moment from LSU coach Kim Mulkey. LSU forward Sa’Myah Smith and Oklahoma forward Liz Scott were both tossed from the game after the shoving incident in the first quarter.

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Head coach Kim Mulkey of the LSU Lady Tigers looks on in the first half during their game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Colonial Life Arena on January 24, 2025, in Columbia, South Carolina. (Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)

Oklahoma center Beatrice Culliton was battling for position in the paint with Smith when the two got tangled up. Culliton elevated her arm to create some separation, and Smith retaliated by pushing her to the ground. Scott, who was also in the paint area, responded by shoving Smith.

Smith was corralled by Joe Schwartz, LSU’s assistant of basketball operations. The teams separated and went back to their bench areas. The normally even-keeled Smith was called for a foul on the play and then ejected following a review.

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“Pushing, I guess, is considered fighting,” Mulkey said. “It (Smith’s reaction) was shocking. It hurt our team with her not being a part of tonight, because we’re trying to develop her. My old mentor (former Louisiana Tech coach), Leon Barmore, always said you’ve got to keep a cool head in a hot game. . . . Never let ’em see you sweat.”

Mulkey also gave a nod to the game’s entertainment value: “I guess it was entertaining for the fans.”

Play resumed after the ejections, with Oklahoma leading 12-11. The Sooners took advantage of the 6-foot-2 Smith’s advantage to keep it close, rallying from a 24-point deficit late in the third quarter to get within one point in the final minute.

An overall view of the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 19, 2023, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Rebecca Warren/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

In the third quarter, Mulkey slapped a clipboard that assistant coach Seimone Augustus was holding. LSU was enjoying a 67-45 lead at the time. Mulkey proceeded to yell and point for several seconds, while Augustus appeared to contend with a brief moment of shock.

Referees later assessed a technical foul after the Tigers’ coach argued a foul call against star guard Flau’Jae Johnson. Oklahoma coach Jennie Baranczyk also received a technical at a different point in the game.

The chippy game ended with a total of five technical fouls and 63 free throw attempts.

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“We saw a lot of things tonight,” Mulkey said. “You saw ejections. You saw two teams score over 100. You saw a technical on the second flop. . . . I got teed up, and she told me I got teed up for pointing at the big screen. I was definitely looking at the big screen, and I was not real happy, but I don’t know if I point. But she’s across the way. Whatever.”

The Tigers’ 107-100 win over the Sooners improved seventh-ranked LSU’s record to 22-1.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

January 31, 2025