Though Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic has been an MVP contender for a majority of the season, one of the areas that has been focused on him is his ability to get technical fouls. As the Lakers guard in Doncic earned his 16th technical foul against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday's 116-99 win, the NBA has officially suspended the star.
In a statement released on Saturday, the league announced that Doncic will be “suspended one game without pay” for being given his 16th technical foul this season, as said before.
“Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Dončić has been suspended one game without pay for receiving his 16th technical foul of the 2025-26 season, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations,” the statement read.
“Under NBA rules, a player or coach is automatically suspended without pay for one game once he receives his 16th technical foul during a regular season,” the statement continued. “For every two additional technical fouls received during that regular season, the player or coach will be automatically suspended without pay for an additional game.”
Lakers' Luka Doncic gives his side of receiving his 16th technical foul
The dreaded 16th technical foul would come in a heated exchange with Nets forward Ziaire Williams in the third quarter after he celebrated an offensive foul called on Doncic. The MVP candidate would push him, and Williams came back at him, resulting in the referees issuing the techs.
Doncic would speak after the game about the technical foul, saying he “just wanted to get out of there.”
“[Williams] was yelling in my face, three times,” Doncic said, via Erik Slater. “I just wanted to get out of there. It's a double tech, of course. What can I say? I didn't even talk. I just wanted to get out of there. They said I pushed [him], and that my push was exaggerated, which [it] was obviously not. I don't know what else to tell you.”
At any rate, Doncic will serve his one-game suspension in Monday night's game as the Lakers take on the Washington Wizards.
