SYDNEY: An Australian fan was branded "a drongo" and banned for the season Thursday after pouring beer over the Sydney Kings' Boston Celtics 2015 draft pick Marcus Thornton during a National Basketball League game.
Captured on live television, the man lent over a sponsor's signage as the American guard slid over the floor during the third quarter of a clash with Illawarra Hawks.
As Thornton looked up hoping for a foul call, the offender poured beer in his hair.
The middle-aged man was thrown out of WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong, south of Sydney, and banned for the rest of this season.
The NBL said it would not tolerate behaviour that jeopardises player safety.
"It is a shame that a brilliant game was tarnished by the actions of one individual, however the players and officials showed their professionalism by moving on quickly," said NBL General Manager Jeremy Loeliger.
"We do not condone behaviour of this type, and will continue to implement measures to ensure that this kind of interference is dealt with appropriately."
Kings coach Damian Cotter was fuming after the incident.
"This is 2015, not 1974. That's all I should say about it. But that's dropkick behaviour," he said.
"I mean, really, how unsophisticated and how much of a drongo do you want to be? It shouldn't happen in the first place."
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