San Antonio Spurs’ Patty Mills, center, from Australia, drives between Cleveland Cavaliers’ Jeff Green, left, and Kyle Korver in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2018, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — The Cleveland Cavaliers are trying to identify the fan who racially taunted San Antonio guard Patty Mills.
Mills is black and from Australia with an Aboriginal heritage. He was at the foul line in the fourth quarter Sunday when a male spectator can be heard on the ABC broadcast twice yelling, “Hey, Jamaica called, they want their bobsledder back!”
Mills posted a message on Twitter thanking a fan who tweeted a clip of the taunts. Mills wrote: “Hope your efforts will enlighten this confused, hateful fan.”
The Cavaliers said Monday the team is reviewing the matter. The team’s security department might use video footage to help spot the offender.
Mills was not asked about what happened following the Spurs’ 110-94 win. It’s not yet known if Mills heard the taunts or was informed of them following the game.
Last week, the Chicago Blackhawks banned four fans from attending their games after they were ejected for making racist taunts toward Washington Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly.
Smith-Pelly, who is black, was sitting in the penalty box when the fans repeatedly chanted “basketball” at him.