Mark Stevens is at the center of controversy during the NBA Finals.
The Warriors minority owner pushed Kyle Lowry when the Raptors guard dove into the crowd early in the fourth quarter of Game 3. Stevens was then ejected from the arena.
Golden State went on to lose, 123-109, and now trails Toronto in the series, 2-1.
It turns out the “fan” that pushed Kyle Lowry is actually part-owner Mark Stevens. What should the punishment be? #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/9ebIk4sxHU
— Tim and Sid (@timandsid) June 6, 2019
“There's no place for that,” Lowry told reporters after the game. “He had no reason to touch me. He had no reason to reach over two seats and then say some vulgar language to me. There's no place for people like that in our league.”
The Warriors condemned Stevens’ actions in a statement Thursday.
“Mr. Stevens’ behavior last night did not reflect the high standards we hope to exemplify as an organization,” Golden State said in a statement. “We’re extremely disappointed in his actions and, along with Mr. Stevens, offer our sincere apology to Kyle Lowry and the Toronto Raptors organization for this unfortunate misconduct. There is no place for such interaction between fans — or anyone — and players at an NBA game.”
The league later announced Stevens had been fined $500,000 for his actions and cannot attend "NBA games and Warriors team activities for one year."
“A team representative must be held to the highest possible standard,” the NBA said in an earlier statement. “The conduct of Golden State Warriors investor Mark Stevens last night was beyond unacceptable and has no place in our league.”
Lowry called for Stevens to be banned permanently.
“More should be done,” Lowry told reporters, via the Washington Post. “He's not a good look for the ownership group they have. A guy like that showing his true class, he shouldn't be a part of our league. There's no place for that."
Here’s what to know about Stevens:
How did Mark Stevens become the Warriors’ minority owner?
Stevens joined Golden State in August 2013. He purchased the shares of the team that were once held by Vivek Ranadive, who became the majority owner and chairman of the Kings earlier that summer. Terms of the deal were not disclosed publicly.
“This is an incredible opportunity for me,” Stevens said in a statement at the time. “The Warriors have established themselves as a top flight organization in a very short time. The future of this team and franchise is unbelievably promising and I’m looking forward to contributing my part to help us achieve our goals.”
What is Mark Stevens’ professional background?
Stevens started as an associate at venture capital firm Sequoia Capital in 1989 and became a partner in 1993. He was instrumental in the firm investing in tech companies such as Google, PayPal and LinkedIn, among others, according to Forbes.
Stevens left Sequoia Capital and started his own firm, S-Cubed Capital, in 2012. He has also been on the USC Board of Trustees since 2001.
How much is Mark Stevens worth?
Stevens is worth $2.3 billion, according to Forbes. He was ranked 302 on the Forbes’ 400 list in 2018.
What are Mark Stevens philanthropic efforts?
Stevens and his wife, Mary, have donated more than $100 million to USC, according to the school.