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The Los Angeles Lakers have a reputation for playing in front of Hollywood royalty and plenty of other rich and famous spectators who can be spotted sitting courtside during games. Jack Nicholson arguably became the team’s unofficial mascot thanks to his constant presence, but there’s also the megamillionaire who bragged about skipping a private Lady Gaga concert at his mansion to watch the Lakers and Clippers face off early this year.
However, the other NBA franchise that calls Crypto.com Arena home also boasts some notable diehard supporters. None of them stick out quite like Darrell Bailey, the Clippers season-ticket holder more commonly known as “Clipper Darrell,” who’s been a staple at the venue formerly known as Staples Center for more than two decades.
It’s pretty hard to miss Clipper Darrell in the home crowd. He’s an easy man to spot thanks to an expansive custom wardrobe filled with the flashy red, white, and blue outfits he has a tendency to don at games, and he’s also an incredibly vocal fan who won’t think twice about letting opposing players know how he feels about them.
There’s a time and a place for that kind of combative nature—and we got some proof that’s the case courtesy of what unfolded inside Crypto.com Arena after the Clippers topped the Celtics on Monday night.
According to TMZ, Clipper Darrell was making his way out of the building when he engaged with a security guard who was reportedly directing fans to a specific exit. The two men traded words before things got physical, which culminated with the 50-something superfan eating a huge punch that sent him falling to the floor in a daze.
The outlet spoke with an arena official who said it launched a swift investigation of the incident, which was ruled “a direct violation of our training and approved responses resulting in the immediate termination and arrest of the employee by the LAPD.”
Darrell, on the other hand, was discharged from the hospital shortly after being admitted for treatment but claims he’s still in “a lot of pain” as he continues to grapple with headaches purportedly stemming from the punch.