Jalen Rose, a former NBA star and current basketball analyst for ESPN, came to the defense of rapper E-40 on Sunday after the Golden State Warriors fan was ejected from the team’s playoff game against the Sacramento Kings.
E-40 alleged there was "racial bias" in the decision for security to eject him, but a source familiar with the situation said the rapper was refusing to comply with requests to sit down during the game.
Rose said in a nearly four-minute video he was "disappointed" E-40 was ejected from the Golden 1 Center on Saturday night. The former Chicago Bulls forward said a lady behind the rapper was heckling him the entire game and when he turned around to respond security came over to E-40.
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Rose showed a video from a different angle of the incident on his Twitter account.
"He don’t even move like that," Rose said of E-40. "He moves with integrity."
Rose noted how Andre Iguodala and Gary Payton II walked with E-40 back to the locker room because he is so well respected within the organization.
"And then the Kings, who I’m not claiming are a racist organization. They’ve been at the forefront of teams as it relates to matters in particular social and politically for Black people. So, I’m not saying they’re a racist organization," Rose said. "What I am saying is that these security officers in particular totally fumbled this scenario and mishandled it and overreacted.
"And then the Kings compounded by putting out a statement and basically saying he was standing up excessively. Clearly, I know there’s an etiquette to that as somebody that played in the league and that frequently goes to games. But they never gave him a warning for that."
Rose predicted the Kings would eventually issue an apology to E-40.
"The Sacramento Kings take these claims seriously and are investigating the facts and circumstances regarding the situation, as we do anytime an accusation like this is made," the Kings told Fox News Digital in a statement.
E-40 told The Athletic that he was subjected to "disrespectful heckling" during the game.
"During the fourth quarter, I finally turned around and addressed one heckler in an assertive but [polite] manner. Yet, shortly thereafter, Kings’ security approached me, assumed that I instigated the encounter and proceeded to kick me out of the arena," E-40’s statement reads.
"Unfortunately, it was yet another reminder that – despite my success and accolades as a musician and entrepreneur – racial bias remains prevalent. Security saw a disagreement between a Black man and a white woman and immediately assumed that I was at fault.
"I’ve attended countless NBA games throughout my lifetime and have always prided myself in my professionalism, so this experience has been jarring. I was absolutely humiliated by the Kings’ security team and I’m calling on the franchise to investigate the appalling conduct that transpired.
"I’m truly grateful for my fans and supporters who have reached out to express their concern and disappointment regarding these disheartening circumstances and I hope those involved are held accountable for their behavior."
The Kings lead the series 1-0. Game 2 is set for Monday at 10 p.m. ET.
