(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
One doesn’t have to be a basketball expert to realize that, more often than not, NBA referees make mistakes.
You just need to take a look at FIBA basketball or other tournaments to notice that the game isn’t officiated the same way, either due to a lack or consistency or because they simply make and miss calls left and right.
For years, that has infuriated some fans but also some of the people who know hoops the most: coaches.
That’s why, during his career as an analyst, Jeff Van Gundy rarely held back when it came to badmouthing the officials.
Now, a report by Andrew Marchand of The New York Post (via NBACentral) reveals that the NBA was unhappy about Van Gundy’s constant remarks against the referees, up to the point where they even reached out to ESPN to complain about that.
The NBA reportedly didn’t appreciate Jeff Van Gundy’s criticism of the league’s officiating and complained about it to ESPN, per @AndrewMarchand
“Though the NBA did not like Van Gundy’s criticism of its officiating — and complained about it to ESPN — there is no proof that the… pic.twitter.com/S8MJS1l5JQ
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 21, 2024
However, the report also claims that the NBA didn’t call for him to be fired, yet the network feared that he would eventually go back to coaching, which is an idea he had flirted with for years.
The fans are passionate and emotional, so they could be biased when assessing a referee.
That’s not what should happen when a neutral analyst and commentator is taking an objective look at the job they do.
At the end of the day, it’s sad to see that the referees continue to be a talking point, and the league must address that situation with them as opposed to trying to censor those who speak up against them.
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