Jason Kidd is the new name on the list of coaches fined by the NBA for their comments on officiating this season. The Dallas Mavericks coach went after the league’s referees after the Mavs suffered a 111-107 loss to the Houston Rockets on Saturday.
A reporter asked Kidd for his thoughts on the criticism he received for playing Cooper Flagg at point guard. The question triggered the Mavs coach, who went on an explicit rant.
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“I have done this. I have played this game; I have played it at a very high level. I know what the f*** I am doing. I don’t give a f*** what you guys write, because you guys have never played the game,” Kidd said. “I have built players. So, I know what the fuck I am doing.”
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“The referees did not do their job tonight. They were terrible.”
The explicit language in his answer landed the Mavs coach in trouble with the league, as he was fined $35,000. The fans swarmed the comments section of an X post featuring the interview’s video.
“I look forward to the day someone beats the f*** outta Adam Silver or Rodger. Can’t be just taking racks from me for free speech for free,” one fan said.
“What happened to freedom of speech?” another fan said.
“Fined $35K for telling the truth,” another fan said.
“Someone needs to speak up, glad he did. Let’s talk about how bad the refs have been as a whole next,” another fan said.
One fan expressed his support for the Mavericks coach.
“I stand in solidarity with Jason Kidd,” the fan commented.
“Get better refs, it’s pathetic,” another fan said.
Jason Kidd praises Cooper Flagg for playing through no-calls
During the post-game interview, one reporter asked Jason Kidd for his thoughts on Cooper Flagg playing through contact and no-calls. The Mavs coach praised the rookie and stood beside him while criticizing the officiating.
“He is going to continue to keep going until they blow the whistle. There is a lot of fouls missed with this young man. Maybe they just don’t know his game yet,” Kidd said (Timetsamp: 0:42). “That’s who he is. He is gonna continue to keep driving. He is not gonna get discouraged.”
Kidd’s team is having a terrible season despite bagging Cooper Flagg as the first pick and having Anthony Davis on board. The Mavs (19-30) are in 11th place in the Western Conference standings.
Edited by Avi Shravan
