Olympiacos Piraeus forward Evan Fournier was ejected from Friday's Game 3 of the Greek Basketball League Finals for making an obscene gesture to the opposing fans of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens.
With the series tied at 1-1, the atmosphere at OAKA Arena, the home of Panathinaikos, was highly charged. Throughout the game, Fournier and his teammates were targets of intense heckling and taunting from the Panathinaikos fans. Midway through the third quarter, with Olympiacos holding a 63-58 lead, Fournier was sent to the floor by a hard foul from Panathiniakos forward Kendrick Nunn while attempting a layup on a drive to the basket. Fournier was furious and confronted Nunn, but teammates quickly intervened to prevent things from escalating further. Nunn and Fournier were both called for unsportsmanlike fouls on the play.
Tension between Kendrick Nunn and Evan Fournier😳#basketballmaniacs #basketball #paobc #olympiacosbc #greece pic.twitter.com/B5BqN7h2xQ
— Basketballmaniacs_ (@bballmaniacs_) June 6, 2025
Fournier, who played in the NBA for 12 years for five different teams before heading to Greece, finally let his emotions boil over with 8:44 remaining in the fourth quarter as Olympiacos held an 80-70 lead. During a break in the action, as some fans in the front few rows continued to heckle Fournier, he finally let loose by walking towards them and directing an obscene gesture to those fans multiple times.
DISCLAIMER: Holdout Sports does not condone Fournier's actions. This video is not appropriate for young viewers.
Tension between Evan Fournier and Panathinaikos fans😳#basketballmaniacs #basketball #paobc #olympiacosbc #greece pic.twitter.com/TxmFKfJvLb
— Basketballmaniacs_ (@bballmaniacs_) June 6, 2025
Fournier's actions further inflamed the home fans, who kicked an advertising board onto the court. Ultimately, Fournier's inappropriate gesture towards the fans, combined with the earlier unsportsmanlike foul, led to his ejection. Fournier has also been fined 30,000 Euros, which seems consistent with fines for similar inappropriate behavior in the NBA.
In the end, Olympiacos won the game 99-88 to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series. Game 4 is Sunday at the Peace and Friendship Stadium in Piraeus, the home of Olympiacos. Things should be interesting.
Moonlighting as a blogger to pursue my interest and enjoyment of sports. Former high school and Division I athlete (now a "retired" family man) that loves watching and discussing all sports. Follow me on Twitter (@HoldoutSports) and like Holdout Sports on Facebook.
