You are here
Home > Basketball > Fan banned by Jazz after altercation with Russell Westbrook sues team, former Thunder star for $100M

Fan banned by Jazz after altercation with Russell Westbrook sues team, former Thunder star for $100M

The fan who was permanently banned from Vivint Smart Home Arena last season after getting into a verbal spat with Russell Westbrook during a game is taking legal action against both the former Oklahoma City Thunder star guard and the Utah Jazz.

On Monday, the man, Shane Keisel, sued the Jazz, Westbrook and is seeking $68 million in damages on claims of “defamation and emotional distress,” according to The Salt Lake Tribune.

In the lawsuit, Keisel claims that he and his girlfriend, Jennifer Huff, were using vocabulary that was “of the same kind and caliber as that of the other audience members in the section” while heckling. Keisel claims that he didn’t use racial and derogatory, which is what Westbrook accusing them of after the altercation last March.

The attorneys are also seeking $32 million for Huff on similar claims.

“The crowd was shocked by the ferocity of Mr. Westbrook’s outburst when he had only been told to take care of his knees,” the lawsuit states. “Albeit in a mocking manner that implied he would need to use them extensively to ensure his team’s victory.”

Keisel alleges that he yelled at Westbrook to “ice those knees up,” and reiterated that fact in the lawsuit that was filed on Monday in 4th District Court. Westbrook did end up being fined $25,000 by the league over the exchange with Keisel for “directing profanity and threatening language to a fan.”

In addition, the lawsuit lays out that due to Westbrook’s claims of racism against Keisel, members of the fan’s family were harassed. Keisel also alleges that he had to change his driving routes, locks, install security cameras at his home and lost his job do to Westbrook’s public comments about the altercation.

“The organization investigated the underlying incident and acted in an appropriate and responsible manner,” Frank Zang, senior vice president of communications for Larry H. Miller Sports and Entertainment, told the Salt Lake Tribune specifically regarding the lawsuit against the Jazz. “We intend to vigorously defend the lawsuit.”

FacebookTwitterEmailWhatsAppBloggerShare
Tutorialspoint
el-admin
el-admin
EltasZone Sportswriters, Sports Analysts, Opinion columnists, editorials and op-eds. Analysis from The Zone Team
Top