NBA G-League Players Ejected For 'Stealing' Blankets, American Airlines Apologizes

American Airlines ejected two NBA G-League basketball players from a flight on Christmas Eve after an attendant accused them of stealing blankets from first class.

Memphis Hustle players Marquis Teague, 24 and Trahson Burrell, 24, were passengers on American Airlines Flight 3756 from Dallas to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Sunday for a Christmas Day game against the Sioux Falls Skyforce, when a flight attendant claimed the two took blankets belonging to the airlines, The Undefeated’s Marc Spears reported.

Two unidentified first-class passengers gave Teague and Burrell their blankets as they headed to their section, according to the Undefeated. When the players took their seats in coach, a flight attendant, who appeared to be black, questioned them regarding the blankets, which lead to an argument.

The flight attendant claimed he wouldn’t fly unless Teague and Burrell, who he suggested made threats, were removed from the plane. That’s when the airlines asked the players and their coach to leave. The players missed a team dinner as a result. The airlines later issued a statement regarding the matter.

"We apologize for what occurred on this flight," American Airlines spokesman Joshua Freed told The Undefeated. "We take pride in bringing people together, and we know that on this flight we let some of our customers down. Our team at American, along with Envoy Air, is reviewing what happened and will be reaching out to [the two players and the assistant coach]."

Hustle head coach Glynn Cyprien and assistant coach Darnell Lazare took to social media concerning the incident.

"American Airlines needs sensitivity training [for] attendants on flights dealing with humans and blankets,” Cyprien tweeted.

"It’s 2017 and a flight attendant sees two young black athletes with blankets from first class. His first comments is ‘did you steal them.’ How about you teach people the facts first before jumping to conclusions. #beingblackinamerican," Lazare wrote.

The incident comes after the NAACP alleged several incidents of racial profiling against black passengers on American Airlines flights this year. The civil rights group claimed that the airlines unfairly removed several black passengers. They issued a "travel advisory" in October that urged black travelers against using the company.

"We are obviously disappointed the incident occurred and the way American Airlines chose to handle the situation," Cyprien added.

The team said it opened an investigation regarding the matter.