Ex-NBA Star Banned And Fined By Puerto Rican League Over Heated Courtside Exchange With Fans

DeMarcus Cousins has reportedly been suspended by the Puerto Rican professional basketball league following his altercation with fans on Monday.

The former NBA star made provocative gestures to a fan and aggressively grabbed him by the arm, sending members of the crowd into a rage as many of them emptied their drinks on him.

DeMarcus Cousins was further bashed by fans online for not "keeping his cool," while many others criticized fans at the game for not being respectful towards players.

Cousins has been expelled from his Puerto Rican basketball team following his contentious brawl with fans on Monday.

The Baloncesto Superior Nacional League (BSN) made the announcement on Tuesday, stating that Cousins' exile would be valid through the remainder of the season.

The 34-year-old power forward, who currently plays for the Guaynabo Mets in the Puerto Rican basketball professional league, had to be ejected from the court after he physically contacted several fans during the game.

According to the New York Post, BSN officials announced Cousins was fined $4,250 for a disqualifying foul, a technical foul, and actions deemed to incite or provoke others and could be raised to $10,000 if he fails to "show cause" why it shouldn't be raised.

Meanwhile, the Guaynabo Mets have yet to issue an official statement regarding the situation.

The four-time NBA All-Star was engaged in a heated altercation with a fan during the game against Vaqueros de Bayamon on Monday.

In viral social media clips, Cousins can be seen strolling casually on the court before grabbing his genitals while gesturing to a fan who sat courtside.

The video captured the fan making a crying gesture to the sports star and also giving him the middle finger. Cousins then grabbed the fan's arm before one of his teammates came, attempting to de-escalate things.

Another fan in a pink shirt quickly stood up and was ragingly pointing at Cousins before officials and several other teammates came to separate him from the crowd.

Things quickly escalated as Cousins was evicted from the game and seemingly flexed while walking toward the alley.

A social media clip captured how he was greeted by angry fans who were pointing to the alley as if telling him to use the door.

Walking close to the rail on his way to the locker room, one fan reached over the railing and seemingly made a crude gesture before Cousins reached up and made contact with the fan.

The said fan then emptied his clear drink at Cousins before other fans started throwing theirs at him, with some even hurling bottles his way. Authorities held Cousins back and tackled him to the ground, but he managed to stand up before facing another wave of drinks and objects being thrown at him.

Several fans took to social media to share their mixed reaction to the ugly scenes, as some bashed Cousins for not keeping his "cool," while others slammed the fan for seemingly provoking him.

A person wrote, "This r-tard is always trying to fight fans. I told him 'good game' after an Auburn-Kentucky game, and he tried to fight me."

"Dude, you're the NBA player the fans pay to see. Play the game, and ignore the peanut gallery," another fan wrote on X. "DeMarcus could have easily had the guy escorted out of there, but he chose to be lured in to fully engage in the ignorant exchange, just to end up ejected and embarrassed, having drinks and snacks launched at him on the walk of shame to the locker room."

"Players are so soft now, a fan making a crying gesture sets Cousins off? Like seriously, the fans were way worse in the 80's and 90's," another fan wrote.

However, other fans seem to think Cousins wasn't in the wrong, and fans should know when to draw the line.

"Bullsh-t. If I did that to some dude on the court, I would expect to get the cr-p knocked out of me. We would be a far more polite society if words and gestures DO merit violence (at times). I'm tired of little effing pip-squeaks and their loud mouths," a fan wrote.

Since drawing the curtains on his NBA career, the 6-foot-10 big man has had successful appearances in Taiwan, Dubai, and Mongolia, winning the T1 League Finals MVP and Most Popular Player of the Year honors.

He has been in the news for his bold takes and predictions concerning the NBA, and bragged in an interview with HoopsHype that he can "dominate in any era" after he was asked how he would adapt his game to "dominate this era."

"The way I'm wired and the way I'm built, I feel like I could dominate in any era. I'm very confident in my abilities, my work ethic, and the commitment I've put into my craft. No matter when I played, I believe I would have stood out. That's just who I am," he said.