Technical fouls are often used by referees to penalize NBA players for displaying poor sportsmanship on the NBA court. Traditionally, technical fouls have been effective in keeping players in check. However, as the NBA evolves, fans have called into question some technical foul calls made by officials as of late.

Although officials are given a tough responsibility of calling the game near to perfection, there are a handful of moments when referees should be held accountable for making the most outrageous calls, including questionable technical foul calls. Let's rank the 10 worst technical fouls in NBA history.

10. Victor Wembanyama's tall bounce

Victor Wembanyama easily established himself in the NBA as the undisputed face of the future. While the top rookie is experiencing some of his firsts in the NBA during his rookie season, he eventually got his first technical foul after bouncing the ball a bit too hard after he was frustrated with a foul call on a block attempt. The referees weren't pleased with the height of the bounce, penalizing the 7-foot-4 alien.

9. LeBron James' slap to the backboard celebration gets penalized

Celebrating after executing a remarkable play should be typically allowed in the NBA as long as it doesn't involve taunting against other players. However, it seems that the referees also apply that rule to the NBA's basketball rims because, apparently, LeBron James got a technical foul for slapping the backboard after a thunderous dunk during the 2020 NBA Finals.

8. Luka Doncic gets T-ed up for motivating his teammate

Motivating teammates and holding them accountable shouldn't be a problem in the NBA. However, when Luka Doncic did that, the referees probably thought his message was addressed to them. Imagine getting a technical foul for shouting “Come on, let's go.”

Although Doncic does have a bad habit of complaining to the referees, this one was simply ridiculous at best. Fortunately, the NBA rescinded the technical foul a few days later.

7. JJ Redick's bad pass to the ref

When you make a bad pass during the game, it often results in a turnover. However during a dead-ball situation, a bad pass to the referee can result in a technical foul. Just ask JJ Redick.

While the referees had enough justification to slap Redick with his first T for complaining, his second technical foul was questionable. After Redick made a bounce pass that the referee couldn't catch, the official made the call that'll throw him out of the game.

6. Another bad pass from Kyle Lowry to the ref

Speaking of bad passes to the referee, you may also make an inquiry to Kyle Lowry. After teammate Duncan Robinson picked up his first foul, Lowry got hold of the rock and casually passed it to the referee. Once again, the referee couldn't handle the pass and ultimately penalized the Heat guard.

5. Russell Westbrook unintentionally hits ref

But among the bad passes made to the referees, Russell Westbrook arguably had one of the worst. After a timeout was called, Westbrook casually threw the ball.

Little did he know, that the ball would perfectly hit an official's head from the side. Although it was obviously unintentional, the referees of the game didn't take that lightly and punished Westbrook with a technical foul.

4. Cade Cunningham ejected for pointing

Celebrating after an explosive dunk while pointing at your friends and relatives should be allowed in the NBA. However, after Cade Cunningham executed a reverse poster dunk, the Pistons star pointed at his “people,” and the referees made it a reason to throw him out of the game.

3. Rasheed Wallace gets thrown out for staring 

While complaining and shouting profanities at referees deserve a technical foul, apparently staring is also an unsportsmanlike act. Rasheed Wallace was simply staring at the official before the latter called his second technical foul despite not doing anything against him. In fact, the referee questionably categorized Wallace's wordless act as intimidation.

2. D'Angelo Russell's claps gets a T

D'Angelo Russell was in street clothes, as he was recovering from knee surgery. Inactive from the roster, the All-Star guard took the opportunity to support his teammates and enjoy the game from the courtside.

While NBA fans in the arena are allowed to applaud, apparently, Russell wasn't. The 6-foot-3 guard was slapped with a technical foul for clapping from the sidelines.

1. Tim Duncan's laughs

Joey Crawford served in the NBA as a referee for a long time. On the other hand, Tim Duncan was a legendary big man who often did things calmly.

But in a game against the Dallas Mavericks, the former San Antonio Spurs power forward showed some rare emotion by laughing from the bench. Curiously, Crawford didn't take that lightly and called a pair of technical fouls on the Big Fundamental.