NBA refs are starting to bark back at players.
One veteran official went too far and was taken off an assignment for calling Dallas Mavericks shooting guard Spencer Dinwiddie a ‘b***h-a** motherf****r.”
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, 29-year NBA ref Tony Brothers was kept out of one scheduled game after a Mavs teammate reported the colorful choice of words Brothers had for Dinwiddie. The referee’s retaliation came after he flagged Dinwiddie for a technical. The tech came against the Toronto Raptors on Nov. 4.
After Dinwiddie gave Brothers some heat for making the call, the official uttered the insult to Dinwiddie’s teammate. He spoke about Brothers’ name-calling after the win.
The NBA chatted with Dinwiddie to gather more information on Brothers’ violation of their conduct code.
“… I would like to not be called a bitch-ass mother f****er to my teammates,” Dinwiddie said. “If there’s anybody who feels that way about me — not naming any names — they can address me personally, face to face.”
“I understand it’s the heat of the moment. I’ve definitely said swear words,” Dinwiddie added. “But like if I was playing against somebody on the other team and they said that to my teammate, I would be like listen, ‘Hey, listen I’m right here.’
“But because obviously they’re in positions of authority and whatnot, you can’t necessarily ask for that address, so I’m just taking my fair stance and saying, ‘Hey, look, if you feel that way, fine by me. Just say it to my face, like any other grown man.’ That’s all I want.”
Stein did not address Brothers’ missed game as an actual suspension by the NBA.
Some felt that Brothers’ one-game hiatus was light.
