Amidst NBA Legends Taking Digs at Referees, Here?s the Top 3 Player Official Rivalries

The 2023-24 season has already seen a huge number of ejections so far and the fans are not happy. While some of these penalties were called for, some look unnecessary. So, the debate about officiating in the league has taken center stage once again. Some NBA stars have also expressed their frustration about calls and referees over the years.

Notably, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal recently took a dig at the officiating whenever he played away against the Utah Jazz. Also, former star Gilbert Arenas called out a recent ejection which has stirred the debate.

Is too much power vested in the NBA referees?

The referees have a huge responsibility in conducting games. They can’t let situations get out of hand in a high-octane contact sport like basketball where things could get ugly real fast. So, it is somewhat understandable when officials penalize players for mean mugging after a poster dunk or a block. Because it could provoke the other player and could lead to altercations. However, it certainly looks personal and not justifiable when a referee ejects a player for laughing from the bench.

It was Tim Duncan of all people who was given two technical fouls by referee Joey Crawford for laughing on the bench. For a referee who was trusted to uphold the sanctity of the game, that was not fitting. Calls such as these not only disrupt the flow of the game but could change the course of the game and alter results as well. So, that was just too much power for someone who can’t control their emotions.

The league eventually indefinitely suspended Crawford for his actions. Even though it has been over 15 years since the shocking incident, let’s just say there is still room for improvement.

Over the years, there have been many incidents between stars and officials. However, most were just one-time events. But sometimes, things have gotten personal and have dragged on for some time. Today, let’s look at the top 3 such feuds between stars and referees.

#3 Fred VanVleet vs. Ben Taylor

Fred VanVleet ripped apart the officiating last year. After a string of questionable calls and tough losses, the Toronto Raptors and VanVleet were not happy. As the Raptors were fighting for a spot in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament, the team was frustrated with some calls.

During a game against the Denver Nuggets, the Raptors were trailing by a point with 30 seconds left on the clock. This was when forward Scottie Barnes was ejected by Scott Foster. Notably, Barnes had not been issued a technical foul earlier. So, the quick ejection without an obvious confrontation between the referee and the player shocked many.

After the game, head coach Nick Nurse expressed his disappointment with the call. A few days later, they faced the Los Angeles Clippers. During this road game, VanVleet was assessed a technical foul midway through the third quarter. The Raptors lost the crucial game 108-100.

After the loss, the guard did not mince his words and called out the officials. In particular, he pointed out referee Ben Taylor. ?Ben Taylor was f—ing terrible tonight,? VanVleet said as per the Washington Post.

?On most nights, out of the three [referees], there?s one or two that just f— the game up. It?s been like that a couple games in a row. Denver was tough, obviously. You come out tonight, competing pretty hard, and in the third quarter I get a bulls— tech. That changes the whole dynamic of the game, changes the whole flow of the game,??stated Fred VanVleet.

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Also, he noted that many of his technical fouls were assessed by Taylor and added, ?at a certain point as a player, you feel that it?s personal.??After his rant, the 2019 NBA champion was fined $30,000 by the NBA. However, the league also reportedly demoted Taylor.

#2 Chris Paul vs. Scott Foster

Chris Paul‘s feud with referee Scott Foster is one of the most popular in the NBA. The two have a longstanding history that arguably depicts the ugly side of officiating. Notably, Paul has won just 3 of 17 postseason games officiated by Foster. Even though Paul’s numbers are not way off in those games, 10 straight playoff losses with Foster as a referee raise eyebrows.

The 12x All-Star has his doubts as well and had previously reached out to the league. The streak ended last season when CP3 and the Phoenix Suns won game 2 against the Clippers with Foster in the officiating crew. However, things have not changed between the two.

Recently, Foster ejected Paul during the Golden State Warriors‘ game against the Suns, with just 23 seconds left in the first half. In the 123-115 loss, the referee gave two straight technical fouls to Paul as he continued speaking to him while Kevin Durant attempted free throws.

After the game, Paul shared his thoughts. ?It?s personal,? he said. ?We had a situation some years ago, and it?s personal. The league knows, everybody knows. There?s been a meeting and all that.?

NBA legend Gilbert Arenas was not impressed with the call and called referees “emotional”.

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Paul first spoke about Foster’s calls in 2018 during his time with the Houston Rockets. A year later, Paul once again expressed his frustration. This time, James Harden joined him and even said Foster should not officiate Rockets games. Also, during his statement, CP3 confirmed that he had met with the league about Foster. Despite this, controversy still continues between the two and there is no solution in sight so far.

#1 Allen Iverson vs. Steve Javie and his colleagues

NBA legend Allen Iverson played like the whole world was against him whenever he was on the floor. Sadly, it seems like he was right. AI is someone who wore his heart on his sleeves. However, that did not always sit well with the officials.

Being a 6′ 165 lbs guard, Iverson displayed immense courage whenever he went up against bigger opponents. Of course, AI could be easily overpowered and was on the receiving end of hard fouls at times. Whenever he did not get any obvious foul calls, Iverson let his feelings known to the referees. Some officials took it personally.

During his time with the Nuggets in 2007, the 11x All-Star complained about the calls during a game to referee Steve Javie. With less than two minutes left on the clock, Javie gave AI his second technical foul and sent him to the locker room. After the game, the former star expressed his frustration and revealed the history between the two.

“I thought I got fouled on that play, and I said I thought that he was calling the game personal, and he threw me out,” Iverson said. “His fuse is real short anyway, and I should have known that I couldn?t say anything anyway. It?s been something personal with me and him since I got in the league. This was just the perfect game for him to try and make me look bad,”?admitted the 2001 NBA MVP.

After his comments, he was fined $25,000 by the league. However, there was no information about any action taken against the official. But a few years later, the referee admitted that there was something “personal”.

After retiring in 2011, Javie openly disclosed it as per Sportscasting. Furthermore, former referee Tim Donaghy revealed how multiple referees joined hands to teach Iverson “a lesson” for his alleged threat to Javie. AI continued to receive bad calls in the next few games because of the vendetta.

Editorial Disclaimer:?The?views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of EssentiallySports.