{"id":626310,"date":"2026-04-24T20:47:13","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T20:47:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/626310\/"},"modified":"2026-04-24T20:47:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T20:47:13","slug":"nba-fines-devin-booker-for-calling-out-referee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/626310\/","title":{"rendered":"NBA fines Devin Booker for calling out referee"},"content":{"rendered":"

The NBA on Thursday fined Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker $35,000 for his postgame criticism<\/a> of the officials in a Game 2 Oklahoma City Thunder win.<\/p>\n

Booker referred to official James Williams by name, questioned the integrity of the sport and challenged media members to pull video comparing calls against the Suns and those against the Thunder. He insinuated that a referee called him for a technical foul after being persuaded by Thunder guard Alex Caruso.<\/p>\n

Booker\u2019s technical foul was rescinded on Thursday, despite the fine. So was a double-technical<\/a> given to teammate Dillon Brooks and the Thunder\u2019s Lu Dort.<\/p>\n

The league said in a statement on Thursday: \u201cFollowing an investigation including multiple interviews and video review, the league found no basis to any claim of bias or misconduct by game officials.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard Caruso tell \u2019em to call the tech and (the official) ended up doing it,\u201d Booker said Wednesday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn my 11 years, I haven\u2019t called a ref out by name but James (Williams) was terrible tonight, through and through. Bad for the sport, bad for the integrity of the sport. People are going to start viewing this as the WWE if they aren\u2019t held responsible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Suns owner Mat Ishbia backed his star player<\/a> stepping into fine territory and went even further, saying a referee was \u201calmost mocking\u201d Phoenix players.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me be clear, we didn\u2019t lose because of officiating, but that doesn\u2019t make last night any less important,\u201d Ishbia wrote<\/a> on X. \u201cIf the referees are going to demand respect from the players \u2013 as they should \u2013 then the players should demand respect from the referees. When a referee is missing calls and clearly disrespecting the players, almost mocking them, they must be held accountable.<\/p>\n

\u201cNobody who loves this game enjoyed watching that last night. They want to see the players compete at the highest level. The league needs (to) be far more aggressive about this kind of thing. All players and all fans deserve it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Booker was questioned postgame<\/a> specifically because he was called for a technical on a play where he was fouled and threw a ball behind his body as he was falling out of bounds. The Suns said officials didn\u2019t explain why the technical was called.<\/p>\n

Further questions at the podium led him to compare the Thunder\u2019s whistle to an offensive foul on him as he tried to turn and shoot over Oklahoma City\u2019s Caruso.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey said unnatural shooting motion, hit (Alex) Caruso,\u201d Booker said<\/a>. \u201cBut Caruso is moving forward on that, and if that\u2019s an unnatural shooting motion compared to what guys are doing to get fouls nowadays \u2014 you can play them side by side. I\u2019ll let you guys be the judge. Pull the clips. Run it back. I\u2019m surprised this is happening on national TV, in playoff games.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brooks criticized the officials after the game as well. He was charged with a technical with 8:15 left in the third quarter.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Gilgeous-Alexander is] a little frail, and that\u2019s what the refs are going to call,\u201d Brooks\u00a0said. \u201cI got to be smarter about it, but this is the playoffs. It\u2019s a man\u2019s game.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike, I used to watch this back when Michael Jordan was playing or whoever else, when LeBron [James] was younger. This is physical basketball. I don\u2019t get why all the dropping and the falling and the flopping and the flailing and all this stuff is allowed when we get to the playoffs. Leave that for the [regular] season, for the fans. This is about who\u2019s the better team, who\u2019s a more with-it team. Don\u2019t decide the games on no free throws.\u201d<\/p>\n

Officials did not speak on the game or specific calls because they were not triggered by media members to speak with a pool reporter after the game, a standard NBA game practice to lend transparency to their decisions.<\/p>\n

Follow @kzimmermanaz<\/a><\/p>\n

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