When you sit in the first four rows (give or take one) at an NBA arena, there is a “code of conduct” card on your seat warning you that your “comments, gestures or behavior” can get you ejected from the building if it becomes excessive. In plain terms, don’t cross the line.
The Lakers’ Carmelo Anthony had two 76ers fans ejected Thursday for repeatedly calling him “boy,” Anthony said after the game.
Carmelo Anthony confirmed that he was called "boy" by fans in Philadelphia and that line-crossing comments came from two different groups of people.
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) January 28, 2022
Melo on the interaction with the fan who was ejected: "I'm cool with fans heckling, fans talking trash. ... But when you cross certain lines, as a man, that's what you're gonna see." Says his role in everything is over, he's sure that the issue will be handled.
— Kyle Goon (@kylegoon) January 28, 2022
If what Anthony said is true, those men deserve to be ejected. Directing “boy” at a Black player doesn’t just crosses the line, it obliterates it.
This is far from the only occasion this season where a fan was ejected for saying something inappropriate, and while it’s tempting to say the league needs to do some thing about this there are no easy answers.
Anthony finished with nine points on 11 shot attempts as the Lakers fell to the 76ers.