Fans Who Jawed With LeBron James Won't Be Banned From NBA Games

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – Four fans who were ejected after jawing with Lakers star LeBron James Monday night during a game in Atlanta will not be banned from future NBA games, according to a report.

Sources told ESPN's Dave McMenamin Tuesday that the league will not ban the courtside fans.

Part of that may have been due to LeBron's reaction to the events that transpired.

"I'm happy fans are back in the building," James told reporters after the game. "I miss that interaction. I need that interaction. We as players need that interaction. I don't think it was warranted to be kicked out."

Video from the broadcast of Monday's road game against the Atlanta Hawks showed a woman on the sideline removing her mask as she exchanged words with James.

"There was a back and forth between two grown men in which we said our piece, he said his piece, I said my piece," James said. "And then when someone else jumped into it and said their piece. I didn't think they should have been kicked out."

The exchange occurred with a little more than eight minutes left in the game. Two of the fans were identified by The Washington Post as Chris and Juliana Carlos, who earned the moniker "Courtside Karen."

Juliana Carlos later posted an apology on Instagram. She wrote, "What should have been a quick back-and-forth between two adults got out of hand and my natural instinct to stand up for the man I love kicked in. Did I get defensive when that happened? Yes. Did I use offensive language when I could have taken the higher road? Yes. And for those things, I take full responsibility."

The Lakers won the game 107-99.