A Utah judge has dismissed a $100 million defamation lawsuit filed against Russell Westbrook and the Utah Jazz by two fans who were banned from the arena after a heated exchange with the NBA star.
The suit grew out of a March 2019 game in Salt Lake City between the Jazz and the Oklahoma City Thunder, when Westbrook was with the Thunder. During the game, Westbrook got into an exchange with fans Shane and Jennifer, the plaintiffs in the case. The two were later banned from the arena indefinitely.
Westbrook said at the time that a fan in the stands told him to get down on his knees like he used to. According to Sports Illustrated, video from the game showed Westbrook threatening the fans with strong language. The NBA fined him $25,000 for using threatening language.
Westbrook has said he believed the heckling was racially motivated. Shane has said he was only teasing Westbrook about his knees after noticing the player had them covered in towels on the bench.
Shane claimed in the lawsuit that the incident cost him his job and exposed him to online threats. He argued that statements from Westbrook and then Jazz owner Gail Miller portrayed him and Jennifer as racist.
Judge Derek P. Pullan ruled that calling someone racist is a matter of opinion, which means the statements from Westbrook and the Jazz are protected under the opinion privilege, and he threw out the defamation claims.
Made to order and shipped to your door.
