NBA fines Suns’ Jackson $35,000 for ‘menacing gesture’

Josh Jackson of the Phoenix Suns drives the ball against Lonzo Ball of the Los Angeles Lakers during the NBA game at Talking Stick Resort Arena on October 20, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Lakers defeated the Suns 132-130. Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP

PHOENIX, Arizona — The NBA has fined Phoenix Suns rookie Josh Jackson $35,000 for “making a menacing gesture” on the playing court and “directing inappropriate language at a fan.”

The incident occurred in the Suns’ 130-88 loss to the Clippers in Los Angeles last Saturday night.

Video appeared to show Jackson forming his fingers as a pretend gun and pointing it at the fan, but Jackson disputed that characterization.

Jackson said the fan had been heckling him loudly and aggressively throughout the game and that he wrongly decided to respond.

Jackson said at first he intended to flip his middle finger at the heckler but decided against it and that indecision led to his hand appearing to be a pretend gun.