A frustrated Mavericks fan took his anger straight to GM Nico Harrison on Monday, yelling, “Fire Nico!” three times before Dallas’ game against Brooklyn.
The heated moment unfolded at American Airlines Center as Harrison greeted fans. After shaking one person’s hand, he turned toward the locker room – only to be met with loud demands for his firing. He didn’t react and walked away.
A fan looked Nico Harrison dead in the eye and screamed “FIRE NICO” 💀😭pic.twitter.com/tkT43Uf1IW
— NBACentel (@TheNBACentel) April 1, 2025
According to TMZ, a Reddit user who claimed to witness the scene said security confronted the fan soon after. It’s unclear if he was removed, but officials didn’t look happy. The fan wore a No. 77 Luka Doncic jersey, a clear sign of frustration over the star’s Feb. 1 trade to the Lakers.
The Fan who yelled "FIRE NICO" right in Nico Harrison's face got confronted by security a few minutes later.
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) April 1, 2025
Thanks to the Redditor u/Calm_Set5522 for the video:https://t.co/kuBT5MOn3a pic.twitter.com/g505XU38SP
Dallas continues to struggle without Doncic, falling to the Nets, 113-109, and dropping to 37-39.
Meanwhile, the Lakers are thriving. Sitting fourth in the West at 46-29, their success hasn’t gone unnoticed by Mavericks fans.
The Mavericks fan’s phone was taken and smashed after heated moment with Nico Harrison
The fan named Chris Taylor (per TMZ) claims his phone was taken and smashed after a heated exchange at American Airlines Center – and now, he’s planning to file a police report.
Taylor told TMZ Sports the incident happened about an hour after he confronted Mavs GM Nico Harrison, demanding he be fired. He said arena officials were furious over the exchange, and later, a man – whom Taylor believes was connected to the team – sat behind him.
Dallas Mavericks fans clearly still loathe Nico Harrison for trading away Luka Doncic…
— TMZ (@TMZ) April 1, 2025
Check out the video here:https://t.co/CGskLZtkVv
via @tmz_sports pic.twitter.com/2W8vq22a99
When Taylor pulled out his phone to record, the man allegedly grabbed him, took the phone, and threw it to the ground. Luckily, a sturdy case saved it from breaking.
Taylor said when he reported the incident to arena staff, they did nothing. He believes they were covering for Harrison after his earlier confrontation.
“I feel like a crime was committed, and [the Mavericks] not doing anything is part of it,” Taylor said. “I feel like it was a setup.”
Taylor plans to go to the police soon, calling it a mistake if he doesn’t. Taylor added he hasn’t heard from the Mavericks since. The team did not respond to TMZ’s request for comment, according to report.
Despite past altercations – including one with Mark Cuban earlier this season – Taylor says fans have rallied behind him since the Luka Doncic trade. As of now, he hasn’t been banned from attending games.
The Atlanta Hawks (36-39) and Dallas Mavericks (37-39) face off Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. EDT in Dallas. The Hawks sit eighth in the Eastern Conference, while the Mavericks hold the ninth spot in the West.
READ: Kyrie Irving & Luka Doncic set the record straight on their bond post-Lakers trade
I am a writer passionate about telling the stories behind the game of basketball. From the culture and personalities shaping the sport to the moments that define it, I explore basketball beyond the box score.
