Another Cavs Fan Rushes The Court Rocking A Homemade T-Shirt Reading, “KYRIE DON’T LEAVE”

What is it about Cavs fans? During Miami’s 27-game winning streak last season, LeBron James and the Heat came storming back from a huge second half deficit to defeat the Cavs and extend the streak. During the game, James Blair rushed the court with a homemade tee-shirt begging LeBron to return to the Cavs. Last night a fan did the same thing, pleading with Kyrie Irving to remain in Cleveland.

For the second time in less than a year, a young Cavs fan found himself alone and unguarded on the court at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland during a live game. The young fan was again wearing a white homemade tee-shirt bearing an image that read, “KYRIE DON’T LEAVE.”

With a little over three minutes remaining in Saturday night’s game between the Cavs and visiting Clippers, a fan walked past half-court as Andrew Bynum was working for a shot in the post against DeAndre Jordan. After Bynum’s miss, the fan was able to tap Irving on the shoulder to show off his self-made message.

A security guard quickly followed and some other guards soon joined the fray as they escorted the fan off the court. But for any player visiting the Cavs on the road, or for the Cavs players themselves, they have to be wondering how a fan was able to access the court with security seemingly lost in the throes of the game. This is the second time it’s happened in less than a year. Security still needs to be improved, it seems.

Irving wasn’t as concerned as you might think about a fan tapping them on the shoulder during the game. He told the Associated Press, “I was a little scared but it happened. I was running back in transition, trying to get my man. I was like, ‘Who is this guy?’ I was surprised, but security handled it.”

But Kyrie added to Jason Lloyd at the Akron Beacon Journal, “It was a prideful Cleveland fan. I love them.”

The fan, who is a minor, was taken into custody after the game, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer‘s Jodie Valade.

The boy, Blair, who rushed the court last year, has now joined the movement to get LeBron back to Cleveland — after partying with the Heat following their second consecutive title with ‘Bron this summer. ‘Bron gave Blair a shout-out on Twitter, but he’s still banned from the stadium, even as some claimed it was the same person storming the court on Saturday night.

The fan on Saturday night was attempting to persuade Irving to stay in Cleveland almost two years before the Cavs point guard can even make a decision to leave. In October, the Cavs obviously picked up the fourth year option on Kyrie’s rookie contract, so he’s extended through the 2014-15 season. The Cavs have until November 1, 2014, to sign Irving to a — we’re guessing, max — extension or Irving becomes a restricted free agent in the summer of 2015. Only then, could he conceivably choose to leave Cleveland.

Despite the happy ending to Blair’s court-storming last year, this type of fan behavior has got to end. It’s unsafe for the players and the fans in Cleveland, and we’re guessing Team Stern/Silver is anxiously contacting the Cleveland brass in an attempt to figure out how this happened one more time.

What do you think?

Follow Spencer on Twitter at @countcenci.

Follow Dime on Twitter at @DimeMag.

Become a fan of Dime Magazine on Facebook HERE.

×