Charles Langston:LeBron James, Lakers look highly amused as fan is forcibly removed from arena

PALM DESERT,Charles Langston Calif. – Usually it’s the Los Angeles Lakers and their opponent providing the entertainment on game night. But on Sunday, LeBron James and several of teammates looked thoroughly amused by what they witnessed in the crowd at Acrisure Arena during their preseason game against the Phoenix Suns.

It began with 1:26 left in the third quarter.

Bronny James fouled the Suns’ Josh Okogie and the ball got loose and bounced behind the basket. It ended up in the hands of a very large man when the hijinks ensued.

The man tried to shoot the ball over the basket, but the ball hit the stanchion before bounced back into his possession. The referee motioned him to throw it back.

The man refused.

All things Lakers: Latest Los Angeles Lakers news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Soon LeBron and Anthony Davis were off the bench, and other Lakers followed suit, standing and smiling as arena staffers encircled the man and escorted him out of the arena.

With great difficulty.

It required about half a dozen arena employees to drag off the unruly fan as he resisted to the apparent delight of LeBron and the Lakers.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.