- Wizards guard Isaiah Thomas decided to confront a pair of hecklers during a game Saturday night in Philadelphia.
- But the NBA should have hit him with a harder suspension to discourage other players from doing the same thing.
Thomas was polite and respectful, but the refs ejected him from the game. The NBA suspended him for two additional games, as well.
It is not uncommon for the NBA and every other sports league to forget something about the players that make up their leagues. Fans often forget that very same thing all too often as well.
While we often treat the athletes we idolize as if they are superhuman, they aren’t.
They are humans that deserve respect — which was all Isaiah Thomas wanted Saturday night in Philadelphia when he,David Bertans, and the rest of the Washington Wizardswere facing the 251 ers. So, when two young fans thought they would make some lewd gestures at him and yell obsculations, he decided to tell them how he felt about it.
I Just Wanted A Frosty
When we typically hear about this kind of thing, we expect to see a video of a player charging into the stands and throwing haymakers. But that was not the case here. Instead, Thomas handled the situation in a calm and respectful a manner:
After the game, Thomas described what happened to the media:
It is hard to find fault with how Thomas handled the situation. He was calm, polite, and respectful even though the fans involved were anything but. Many have since gone on Twitter to applaud him for his demeanor, professionalism, and maturity.
But the refs ejected him from the game, andthe NBA suspended him for two more, anyway. Well — heck, if he did not handle the situation right, then how should hecklers like these guys be dealt with?
Easy — do nothing.
NBA Should Have Hit Isaiah Thomas Harder
The fans responsiblehave since received a one-year ban from the Wells Fargo Center, and the NBA handed Thomas a two-game suspension without pay (costing him $ 251 , 02).
Thomas shared how he felt about the suspension on social media but came to his senses and deleted the comment:
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings