Video: Jazz Owner Gail Miller Addresses Russell Westbrook, Shane Keisel Incident

Featured ColumnistMarch 15, 2019

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - MARCH 14: Utah Jazz Owner Gail Miller address the crowd prior to the start of the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 14, 2019 at vivint.SmartHome Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)

Melissa Majchrzak/Getty Images

Utah Jazz owner Gail Miller spoke to Jazz fans before Thursday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, three days after an incident between a fan and Oklahoma City Thunder star Russell Westbrook.

"I am extremely disappointed that one of our 'fans' conducted himself in such a way as to offend not only a guest in our arena but also me personally, my family, our organization, the community, our players and you as the best fans in the NBA," Miller said.

Utah Jazz @utahjazz
Gail Miller addressed tonight's crowd ahead of tip-off ❤️ https://t.co/nJcmPD2kD4

The Deseret News' Eric Woodyard shared a video of Westbrook interacting with the fan, who was later identified as Shane Keisel (warning: post contains profanity):

Eric Woodyard @E_Woodyard
Things get heated between Russell Westbrook and Utah Jazz fans again. “I’ll f*ck you up. You and your wife,” he says. Not sure what these fans said to him, but he also had issues with Jazz fans during the postseason. https://t.co/LquwRmLVNy

Westbrook discussed the situation with reporters after the game:

Brett Dawson @BDawsonWrites
Russell Westbrook made a statement and did not take questions tonight. Here’s all of the statement I can fit into one Twitter vid: https://t.co/EQA3A4jaQQ

The Jazz announced Tuesday they had banned Keisel for life from any events at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City.

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The NBA issued a $25,000 fine to Westbrook for using profanity and threatening Keisel. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the league also issued a memo to all 30 teams to produce a public service announcement emphasizing the "importance of respect and civility in NBA arenas."