Bronny James never got into the Los Angeles Lakers’ 121-116 win over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday at Little Caesars Arena, but still ended up at the center of the night. A heated exchange with a Pistons fan heckling him from a courtside seat went viral, and the Pistons later removed the fan from their seat.

Gilbert Arenas has now weighed in, and the three-time All-Star was firmly in the fan’s corner.

Gilbert Arenas Weighs In on Bronny James’ Viral Altercation With Detroit Fan

The courtside exchange unfolded during a game the Lakers controlled early. Los Angeles opened with a 38-14 first quarter, with James sitting out when the back-and-forth started. A fan appeared to criticize the Lakers guard, and he responded in kind.

The Lakers staff reportedly held back the 22-year-old as he fired off questions at the fan.

Arenas put himself in the fan’s seat, starting with how he sees the crowd’s role. “This is my home … My job as a fan is the delusion that what I do helps the team win by any means necessary.”

From there, he turned to the removal itself.

“So if I’m over there heckling the crowd or the team … why am I getting kicked out? They’re foreigners here. I’m a season ticket holder. How dare you? … How dare you? I bought my tickets this close so I can do that.”

In his telling, where the fan sits is the whole point. “That’s why I bought the tickets on this side. Like people buy tickets on the visiting side so they can [expletive] with the business. It’s part of the experience.”

The Pistons pointed to a specific rule. In a statement to The Athletic’s Hunter Patterson published Monday, a team spokesperson said the fans “were removed from their seats for violating courtside conduct policy and offered seating in a different location away from the court.”

For James, Sunday was another night on the bench in a quiet start to his third season. He has averaged 2.4 minutes and 0.8 points across five appearances, and on November 5, the Lakers assigned him and rookie Cameron Carr to the Coachella Valley Lakers, their G League affiliate.

Lakers coach JJ Redick spelled out the reasoning. “The messaging was very simple. It’s just: you guys need reps, and you guys need to play.”

James made the most of the reps, posting 22 points and 7 assists in Coachella Valley’s 104-98 win over the Salt Lake City Stars.

The 10-2 Lakers, first in the Western Conference, continue the trip Wednesday in Milwaukee, though James has yet to play since returning from Coachella Valley.