If you think NBA players are complaining more than ever about officials, Jeff Van Gundy agrees.
In an appearance on “The Lowe Post,” ESPN’s top NBA analyst said there’s been a “huge uptick” in the amount of verbal abuse that NBA referees have received this season. It doesn’t seem like fines or technical fouls have deterred it whatsoever.
“It’s out of control how some of these guys talk to the officials,” Van Gundy told Zach Lowe. “I don’t understand why the officials take what they take. And I don’t understand the inequality of what they take being dependent on a certain player. I don’t think it’s right.”
Luka Doncic, who Lowe singled out as a guy who complains after “every single call, and non-call and every event of life,” got a $35K fine for making a gesture to officials. Marcus Smart got the same fine for abusive language, as did Ja Morant. Even Raptors president Masai Ujiri drew a fine for inappropriate language.
Part of the problem stems from the internet. Fans can instantly pull up videos with multiple angles of every controversial play. Players can take to social media to voice complaints about bias or unfairness.
It’s also simply a matter of decorum and respect. Fred VanVleet did it the old-fashioned way and cursed out a referee in his postgame press conference. That got a $30K fine, but is that really stopping a player like VanVleet who’s making $21.2 million this year?
It’s also led to wild differences in responses, where a second-year player like Scottie Barnes got a quick ejection for complaining, but a star like LeBron James can have an extended on-court meltdown and then continue complaining social media.
