UCLA’s Mac Etienne cited by police for spitting toward Arizona fans
Feb 4, 2022, 7:30 AM | Updated: 7:33 am
Mac Etienne #12 of the UCLA Bruins passes the ball as the team warms up before the game against the Arizona Wildcats at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on January 25, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
UCLA Bruins center Mac Etienne was cited by University of Arizona police for appearing to spit in the direction of Arizona Wildcats fans as his team exited the floor Thursday at McKale Center.
While the university police did not name Etienne, Sgt. Sean Shields did tell the Arizona Daily Star’s Bruce Pascoe a UCLA player was cited on suspicion of assault and released. Shields said he saw a Bruins player spit toward the ZonaZoo student section as he left the court after the 76-66 UCLA loss in a battle of top-10 teams.
The Barstool Arizona Twitter account posted video of what appears to be Etienne spitting toward the crowd.
BREAKING: UCLA forward Mac Etienne spit on fans in Zona Zoo. Classless. @UCLABarstool pic.twitter.com/YbpNVceuD3
— Barstool Arizona (#7) (@UofABarstool) February 4, 2022
ESPN cameras also caught Etienne engaging Wildcat fans and appearing to spit as he left the court.
Shields told the Arizona Daily Star that the player who was cited would face a future court date.
Etienne is redshirting his freshman year with a knee injury and was not in uniform for UCLA.
A more detailed report that could include information about any interaction Etiene had with fans that led to the incident would be released on Friday, Shields told ESPN’s Myron Medcalf.
“UCLA Athletics is committed to and expects the highest level of sportsmanship,” the Bruins told ESPN in a prepared statement.
“We are aware of the incident involving a student-athlete at tonight’s men’s basketball game, and the matter is under review.”
Etienne was a top-50 prospect in the 2020 recruiting class and appeared in 13 games for the Bruins last season.
He averaged 2.6 points and 2.8 rebounds in 11.3 minutes per game in 2020-21.
