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Mavericks star Luka Doncic appeared to have a Phoenix Suns fan ejected in Dallas on Wednesday night in response to criticism about his conditioning.
‘Luka, you’re tired!’ the Suns supporter was heard yelling in video footage that has since gone viral. ‘Get your ᴀss on the treadmill!’
Doncic, who has been criticized for his conditioning in the past, is seen gesturing to security during play shortly before the Suns fan was ejected during Phoenix’s 132-109 win at American Airlines Arena. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported Doncic’s directive to security was in direct response to the ‘treadmill’ comment.
But speaking to reporters afterwards, the 24-year-old Slovenian insisted that the issue with the fan was deeper than one fat joke.
‘He was cursing me the whole first half, too,’ Doncic said, explaining he would ‘never eject a fan,’ but felt the man had crossed a line.
“LUKA YOU TIRED, GET ON THE TREADMILL!”Luka Doncic reaction to fan incoming.Luka Doncic has since pointed out the fan, who is being talked to by arena staff. Kyrie Irving walked over and was looking at the fan, who just left.#Suns 100 #Mavs 78 after 3. pic.twitter.com/6npgrJhj6J
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) January 25, 2024 
Luke Doncic appeared to have a fan ejected from Wednesday’s Mavericks-Suns game in Dallas
Luka Doncic asked security to eject this Suns fan, who was sitting two rows behind midcourt press row. The comment the fan made that drew Doncic’s wrath: “Luka, you’re tired! Get your ᴀss on the treadmill!” pic.twitter.com/chNYwiJBC0
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) January 25, 2024
‘[The fans] paid for tickets, but I had enough,’ Doncic said. ‘It’s a little bit of frustration.’
Doncic also had a tense exchange with MacMahon over the incident.
‘I knew you’ll be the first one to always put something bad about me,’ Doncic told MacMahon, who had a similarly contentious exchange with Mavs coach Jason Kidd in November.
The the Mavericks guard continued to insist that MacMahon is looking to criticize him, even as other members of the media insisted they also noticed Doncic’s request to have the fan ejected.
‘Several of us actually tweeted about it,’ one reporter is heard saying during the post-game press conference.
Retired NBA forward Eddie Johnson was quick to rip Doncic on social media for the incident
Luka Dončić and Tim MacMahon go back and forth about him tweeting about Luka asking for a fan to be ejected in the second half, after cursing at him the whole game. Luka: “You’ll be the first one to always put something bad about me.” pic.twitter.com/eAIRbKyVkn
— Landon Thomas (@sixfivelando) January 25, 2024 
Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) laughs near Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) on Wednesday
Doncic never explained what else the man had said to him that prompted him to demand the fan’s ejection, ultimately telling reporters ‘it’s all over.’
Retired NBA forward Eddie Johnson was quick to rip Doncic on social media, but was also quick to point out that he’s not the only player having fans kicked out of games.
‘Luka is not the only player removing fans,’ Johnson wrote on X. ‘These rabbit ears by players is crazy. We dealt with Robin Ficker in Washington, Leon the Barber in Detroit and a host of fans in Philly and Utah and not once asked for their removal. Stop!’
Other players who have been criticized for having fans removed include Lakers star LeBron James and Doncic’s Mavericks teammate, Kyrie Irving.
Irving, however, has also responded in kind to fans, once flipping off Boston Celtics supporters.
