Sources: Mavs ban fan who heckled Beverley
DALLAS — When the LA Clippers visit the American Airlines Center on Tuesday night, Patrick Beverley won’t encounter the Dallas Mavericks fan whose heckling played a prominent role in the fiery guard’s ejection earlier this season.
Sources told ESPN that Don Knobler, a fan known for his flamboyant wardrobe who has long sat courtside at Mavericks home games, was banned from the arena for the remainder of the season after an investigation by the organization confirmed Beverley’s account of their interaction.
Clippers guard Patrick Beverley accused a Mavericks fan sitting courtside of cursing his mother on Sunday, prompting him to throw a crisp bounce pass at the man during a break in play early in the fourth quarter.
According to sources, fans complained that Knobler had inappropriately heckled opposing players on other occasions as well.
Beverley was ejected with 9:10 remaining in the Clippers’ Dec. 2 loss in Dallas after throwing a crisp bounce pass at Knobler, who was seated on the baseline near the LA bench. After the game, Beverley said that Knobler told him “F— your mother!” on two different occasions, prompting his reaction.
Knobler told ESPN after the game that he said “Your mother” to Beverley earlier in the game during an exchange after the Clippers guard’s elbow knocked out the tooth of Mavs guard Dennis Smith Jr.
Knobler denied using profanity.
“I told the referee, I told the security,” Beverley said to reporters after the game. “I mean, I’ve never gotten ejected out of a game since I’ve been in the NBA. You know, I play hard, I play within the lines, of course. I play within the rules, of course. I’ve never been ejected in my career in the NBA, but I’m a grown man. I have morals. Of course, God is first, family is second for me, and I stand firmly behind that.
“I just, I can accept the ‘F— you, Beverley,’ the ‘F— you, Pat,’ but out of the lines of my mother, anybody who knows me, man, knows I’m a family-first guy, and there’s some things that are unacceptable. After I told the refs, I told security, the Dallas security, told both of them and again, he said it again. So if no one is going to control fans, what are we supposed to do as players?”
Knobler, who has not attended a Mavs game since Dallas’ win over the Clippers, did not return a message left at his business Tuesday. The Mavs declined to comment on Knobler’s suspension from the arena.
The NBA announced Dec. 4 that Beverley had been fined $25,000 for throwing a ball at a spectator.