LeBron Calls For 'Swift Action' Hours After Warriors Co-Owner Banned, Fined For Lowry Shove
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA/CBS SF) - His team may have missed the playoffs, but LeBron James isn't staying on the sidelines when it comes to speaking out on the NBA Finals incident involving Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry and a minority owner of the Golden State Warriors.
Bay Area venture capitalist Mark Stevens shoved Lowry after the Toronto Raptors star crashed into a row of courtside seats while trying to save a ball from going out of bounds.
On Thursday, James urged the league to take "swift action" in an Instagram post.
"[Stevens] knew exactly what he was doing which was so uncalled for. He knew the rules more than just the average person sitting watching the game courtside so for that Something needs to be done ASAP!" wrote James.
He added: "Just think to yourself, what if @kyle_lowry7 would have reacted and put his hands back on him," James continued. "You guys would be going CRAZY!! Calling for him to damn near be put in jail let alone being suspended for the rest of the Finals all because he was protected himself. I've been quite throughout the whole NBA playoffs watching every game (haven't missed one) but after I saw what I saw last night, took time to let it manifest into my thinking. I couldn't and wouldn't be quiet on this!"
His post came just hours before the league and the Warriors issued a joint statement announcing Stevens "has been banned from attending NBA games and Warriors team activities for one year and has been fined $500,000 for pushing and directing obscene language toward …Lowry."
Lowry later said he texted James to thank him for standing up for the players, adding the Lakers star "always does the right thing".
The team issued a strongly worded statement earlier in the day condemning Stevens actions.
"Mr. Stevens' behavior last night did not reflect the high standards that we hope to exemplify as an organization," the Warriors said in a statement. "We're extremely disappointed in his actions and, along with Mr. Stevens, offer our sincere apology to Kyle Lowry and the Toronto Raptors organization for this unfortunate misconduct. There is no place for such interaction between fans—or anyone—and players at an NBA game."
The team added that "Stevens will not be in attendance at any of the remaining games of the 2019 NBA Finals. Review of this matter is ongoing."
During his Thursday morning news conference, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said he was going to deliver a personal apology before Game 4.
"I have not seen the play," Kerr told reporters. "I didn't see it last night. I saw the commotion afterwards. But I haven't seen a replay. I didn't even really know the story until this morning. I know our organization has put out a release and I will let the release speak for itself. I will also personally apologize to Kyle and to the Raptors. It's unacceptable."
NBA Executive Vice President for Communications Mike Bass echoed the Warriors sentiment, saying "the conduct of Golden State Warriors investor Mark Stevens last night was beyond unacceptable and has no place in our league."
