Two seasons ago Dwyane Wade lost $150,000 in fines plus forfeited salary as punishment after he kicked Ramon Sessions in the groin.
So when James Harden pulled a similar move on Wade's former teammate and good friend LeBron James, Wade's wife, actress Gabrielle Union, set out to make sure the punishment was the same.
In a series of tweets Monday, Union laid out her case for why Harden should be suspended for a game. She notes that the NBA is in a tough position because the Houston Rockets are playing the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday in a matchup between two of the league's best teams. Ratings might not be the same with Harden, an MVP candidate, on the bench.
? If the NBA doesn't suspend Harden a game lk @DwyaneWade will he get $ bk since they pullin a Goddell & administering punishment unevenly?
— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) March 2, 2015
Making comparisons to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, it seems, has become the worst insult one can hurl these days.
If that's the case cuz it would suck not to have Harden vs the Hawks... D would happily take the hypocrisy in cash please
— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) March 2, 2015
It's not about Bron vs Beverly. NBA set a precedent of discipline 4 an even less obvs infraction in an untelevised game so #whattheygonnado
— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) March 2, 2015
I personally wanna see Harden play against the Hawks, like most ppl. But w/out Harden, ratings for that game go down soooo #whattheygonnado
— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) March 2, 2015
As is the case when a celebrity takes a strong stand, Union got lots of spiteful tweets. She responded with a bit of humor:
To all the thumb thugs, either unfollow or meet me behind the 7-11. I'll be the one takin off my earrings & applyin vaseline
— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) March 2, 2015
In the end, Union got what she wanted. The NBA on Monday suspended Harden without pay for Tuesday's game between Houston and Atlanta.