Russell Westbrook confronted a male fan and his wife Monday night during the
Oklahoma City Thunder's win at Utah, telling the man he would "f---" him up and do the same to his wife.
The exchange was caught on video and
posted to Twitter by a reporter for Utah's Deseret News. It was unclear what prompted the exchange.
According to the Deseret News, five fans received "warning cards" related to the incident. The cards cited comments, gestures and/or behaviors directed at players in violation of the NBA's code of conduct for fans. All of the fans were able to return to their seats, the Deseret News reported.
"I promise you," Westbrook said in the exchange. "You think I'm playing. I swear to god. I swear to god. I'll f--- you up; you and your wife. I'll f--- you up."
Someone off-camera then appears to attempt to verbally intervene.
"No, f--- that! F--- that!" Westbrook shouts, pausing before resuming his initial exchange.
"I promise you, everything I love," Westbrook said. "Everything I love n----, I promise you."
Westbrook did not draw any discipline from the game officials for the exchange during the
Thunder's 98-89 win.
He spoke to reporters after the game, saying the fan "told me to 'get down on my knees like you used to.'"
The fan, Shane Keisel, said he told Westbrook to "sit down and ice your knees."
Westbrook was wearing large heating packs -- which resembled ice packs -- on his legs. Keisel also said Westbrook told him, "It's heat," to which the fan replied, "You're gonna need it."
Westbrook then responded with the expletives, Keisel said.
Westbrook further said in his postgame comments that he never has and never would get physically violent with a woman, but that he was so offended, he would take the same actions and say the same thing if he had it to do over again.
"But once he said the comment, and his wife repeated the same thing, as well, that's kind of how that started," Westbrook said.
