The officiating in the NBA has long been a point of contention. And on Wednesday night, there could very well be wholesale changes to come with how referees manage the game after Fred VanVleet not only put them on blast with an all-time great tirade after the Toronto Raptors' 108-100 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, but he also went in on one specific referee essentially making it a blood feud.

The referee that got caught in VanVleet's crosshairs was Ben Taylor, which is no surprise after the official decided to call a technical foul on the Raptors guard for telling his teammates that they have to play through the “bulls–t”. Perhaps Taylor was offended and thought VanVleet pertained to his officiating with the bulls–t remark.

It's not too often that a player, let alone an NBA All-Star with a long career ahead of him like Raptors guard Fred VanVleet, risks receiving what could be the most punitive fine in NBA history. Thus, a lot of fans loved the absolute candor behind VanVleet's words.

Tribalism has long been a part of NBA fandom. But it seems like the Raptors guard's vendetta against the referees will manage to create a strong, united front against a common enemy: poor officiating.

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Even some fans couldn't help but poke fun at the fact that the Fred VanVleet-Ben Taylor beef is shaping up to be one of the more interesting storylines this season – just in time for the build to Wrestlemania on April 2!

While VanVleet has now earned the immortal distinction of lovable cult hero with his comments on officiating, some couldn't help but worry about how his bank account would look like after the league is done punishing him for his honesty.

Fred VanVleet and the Raptors indeed found themselves in a dogfight with the Clippers on Wednesday night; with the playoff race heating up, no one should expect anything less from either team. The Raptors, in particular, remain in a precarious position, as they fall to 32-35 following that loss.

Thus, it's no surprise that VanVleet exploded in this manner out of frustration, as every win matters for them at the moment.