The atmosphere was lively at the Spectrum Center on Friday night during the game between the Hornets and the Bulls.
A fan seated in the second row was removed after he directed a profanity at Chicago’s Josh Giddy. The Hornets were ahead 119-112 with just over a minute left in the fourth quarter, and Giddy was preparing to inbound the ball when he noticed the fan, who had stood up and flashed him an obscene gesture.
Giddy pointed back at him and quipped, “You’re telling a joke I don’t understand.”
Wearing a tan sweatshirt and large black sunglasses, the fan tried to engage Giddy by pumping his fist and asking for a fist bump, but Giddy didn’t seem interested. NBA referee Kevin Scott intervened, blowing his whistle multiple times as tensions flared.
To defuse the situation, Scott signaled for security, who came and escorted the fan out of the arena.
The incident seemed to leave the Hornets’ fans unphased, as their team managed to secure a victory over the Bulls with a final score of 123-116.
After the game, Giddy offered his side of the story, saying, “He said something I didn’t like, so I went to him and that was it. Security took him out and that was it.”
At 23, Giddy is now in his fifth season, posting impressive stats of 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 assists—just shy of a fifth triple-double for the season. He faced allegations regarding a relationship with a minor in 2024, but no charges were filed, and the league cleared him of any wrongdoing.
This week has seen other fan-related incidents in the NBA, with another fan being ejected for pursuing Zach LaVine during a match between the Kings and Suns.
