Detroit Pistons general manager Troy Weaver had an expletive-laced response to a heckling fan in the stands and pointed the man out to security at Little Caesars Arena.
The heated exchange, video of which was shared on social media, occurred during Detroit’s 142-124 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night.
“You threatened me,” the unidentified man was heard saying to Weaver on the video.
Weaver declined to comment Sunday.
Jeffrey Calloway, a 46-year-old season-ticket holder from Detroit, said he was sitting near Weaver when the fan approached the team’s general manager twice before being escorted away.
“The guy that was in the incident, with the Red Wings stuff on, came over and was pointing at the scoreboard earlier in the game,” Calloway said in a telephone interview Sunday. “Troy Weaver just shrugged his shoulders and said, ‘OK,’ and the guy went back to his seat.
“When [Jalen] Duren got ejected [midway through the fourth quarter], the guy came back and told him that he was terrible at his job. Then, Troy Weaver was telling the fan he had to leave and that’s when ushers or security walked over.”
The fan was escorted away from the seating area by security workers.
Detroit set a single-season league record with 28 straight losses earlier this season and entered Sunday tied with Washington for the league’s worst record.
The Pistons gave Weaver his first opportunity to be a general manager. Their record is 70-229 under him in three-plus seasons.
Detroit hosts Charlotte on Monday night.