‘Excessive standing?’ Rapper E-40’s Kings game ejection prompts questions on venue rules

The Kings organization says it is investigating Bay Area rapper E-40’s allegation that racial bias was a factor in his ejection by security from Saturday evening’s playoff game against the Golden State Warriors.

The dust-up reportedly stemmed from the hip-hop artist, a prominent Bay Area sports superfan who was sitting courtside, spending too much time on his feet.

Videos posted to social media showed E-40, whose real name is Earl Stevens, being removed by Golden 1 Center security personnel during the fourth quarter of the Kings’ 126-123 win over the Warriors.

Stevens, who is Black, said in a statement to reporters that he was approached by Kings security after addressing a heckler, a white woman, “in an assertive but polite manner.”

“Security saw a disagreement between a Black man and a white woman and immediately assumed that I was at fault,” Stevens said in the statement, writing that he was “absolutely humiliated by the Kings’ security team.”

‘Excessive standing’ reportedly led to incident

The Associated Press reported that the rapper’s ejection came following other spectators’ complaints of “excessive standing,” and cited conflicting accounts from anonymous sources, one saying Stevens was given multiple warnings by security before his ejection and the other saying he was not warned at all.

ESPN reporter Marc J. Spears, also citing unnamed sources, tweeted Sunday that venue security “believed E-40 stood excessively thus blocking the view of fans behind him.” Spears also tweeted that Stevens’ camp argued he was not given any warning before the ejection, while NBA sources contended that he received multiple.

The team in a statement to reporters did not reference the “excessive standing” component, but said the Kings were “investigating the facts and circumstances regarding the situation, as we do anytime an accusation like this is made,” regarding Stevens’ claim of racial bias.

Stevens on Sunday shared a video posted by ESPN analyst and former NBA player Jalen Rose, who said the Kings organization should apologize to E-40.

“I’m not saying that they’re a racist organization,” Rose said in the video. “What I am saying is that these security officers in particular totally fumbled this scenario and mishandled it and overreacted.”

What do Golden 1 Center rules say about standing?

Following the incident, some fans took to social media to defend Stevens, mocking the phrase “excessive standing” in the context of an exciting, close game to open the playoffs — one that marked the end of a 16-season playoff drought for the Kings.

Golden 1 Center venue rules do not explicitly list “excessive standing” as a violation, nor does the NBA’s “fan code of conduct.”

More broadly, the Golden 1 Center rules do list “disturbances” and “disorderly conduct” by guests as grounds for ejection, and other portions of the arena’s rules warn against obstructing the view of other spectators.

“Guests must maintain reasonable and appropriate behavior at all times,” an FAQ page on the arena’s website reads, in part. “Guests using offensive language or engaging in disorderly conduct may be ejected from the facility and subject to arrest.”

Disturbances include but are not limited to behavior such as standing on chairs or using profanity, according to the website.

A section of the rules focused on photography also reads: “Standing or positioning oneself in order to take pictures in a manner that obstructs the view or enjoyment of the event by others is not permitted.”

The rules encourage guests to “report any inappropriate behavior to the nearest usher, security guard or guest services staff member.”

The NBA did institute a rule change in 2022 related to “excessive standing” — but for players and coaches on the bench, not for fans. Standing for prolonged periods can now result in team fines and technical fouls, for violations of “bench decorum.”

After Saturday’s incident, the rapper reportedly won’t be in attendance for Game 2 of the first-round playoff series, tipping off Monday evening in Sacramento.

Shams Charania, NBA reporter for The Athletic, reported Monday morning that Stevens won’t be at Game 2 but “plans to attend Game 3 at Chase Center” in San Francisco, the Warriors’ first home game in the series.