Home NBA Kings’ De’Aaron Fox fined $20,000

Kings’ De’Aaron Fox fined $20,000

Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox has been fined $20,000 for public criticism of the officiating, the NBA announced.

Fox made his comments to the media following the Kings’ 128-112 loss to the Utah Jazz on April 10, the team’s sixth consecutive loss.

The 23-year-old was expecting the league to fine him after criticizing the officials.

“S— was godawful,” said Fox. “Mine wasn’t even about me getting there and things like that. It was about the calls they were getting on the other end. If you’re going to call something on one end, call it on the other end. And if somebody’s trying to talk to you, you can’t get in your feelings so quick to where it’s not even a hostile conversation and then you’re saying don’t talk to you. … I mean, you’re coming down guessing on plays where a ball goes out of bounds and they ask you. You don’t know what the f— is going on and you just call something. At least go look at the monitor or something.”

Fox also mentioned that one official was particularly unapproachable.

“F—ing terrible,” said Fox. “He was terrible and then when you tried to talk to him, he acted like he didn’t want to hear anything or he was too good.”

Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell eventually stepped in between Fox and the official.

“He was talking to the ref, but the game was over and Fox has been a friend of mine since high school,” said Mitchell. “There’s no reason to lose money over a situation like that. The game’s over, the competition’s over, so now that’s my guy. I’m going to make sure he doesn’t lose money in that situation.”

Fox appreciated Mitchell coming in to help calm the situation.

“Donovan and I are cool off the court, obviously,” said Fox. “Between the lines, we’re competitors going at each other. It’s great to have somebody like that. It’s always great when I’m able to play against someone I’ve known since high school and see how well he’s doing and what he’s doing for his team. As soon as the game is over, the competition is over and we’re back to being boys.”

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