Delonte West Wet Willy: I Had the 'Last Laugh' Says Gordon Hayward
Delonte West's wet willy on fellow NBA player Gordon Hayward got him in trouble; the Dallas Mavericks guard received a technical foul for the childish prank. While the finger in the ear was perceived as little more than a harmless jab, his target took it a little more seriously.
Delonte West's "wet willy" was more of a dry one. During an NBA game between the Utah Jazz and the Dallas Mavericks, Gordon Hayward's physical style of play upset West. West flung his arm at Hayward, then sidled up to him after the referee's whistle and jabbed his finger in Hayward's ear.
"I wanted to fight right there, but you can't do that," Hayward told the Associated Press. "It wouldn't have been the smart idea. I'd risk getting a technical foul, getting suspended for the season, whatever."
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As it were, Gordon raised his hands, demonstrating that he wouldn't get physical with West in retaliation. Although refs missed the malicious poke, the crowd cried foul, and officials eventually gave West a technical foul after reviewing the incident via video.
Although West first told reporters that he was giving Gordon a "wet willy" and that Hayward had "lint in his hair," he acknowledged his unsportsmanlike conduct on the court.
"We were two warriors. We were battling. I forgot the NBA's a gentleman's game. We got to fight and scratch, and do it nice," said the 28-year-old. "You get caught up in the emotions and it's physical. You get caught in the moment sometimes."
West did indeed get physical even before the infamous prod, according to Hayward. The Mavs player's actions spoke very clearly of his intent.
"[West] bumped me and it's, 'OK, he's obviously frustrated.' Then when he did the second one, it's like, 'Man we've got him right where we want him,'" said Hayward. The frustration of West was a key factor in the battle on the court.
Hayward, although initially upset about West's actions, said he got the "last laugh," as the Jazz beat the Mavericks 123-121 in triple overtime.
"There's more important things than fighting someone out on the court. The more important thing was getting the win and we were able to do that," said Hayward.
