There might not be any player in the NBA that gets in trouble with officials as much as Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green. He is often hit with technical fouls due to arguing calls or making disapproving gestures when questionable calls happen. The NBA issues a one-game suspension when a player gets his 16th technical foul of the regular season. Green already has 11, and there are more than four months left in the season.
Speaking to The Athletic's Anthony Slater, Green said about the officiating:
“It's bad. It's horrible. It's really bad. I don't know why it is. But I think it's ridiculous. It's ruining the game. It should be one of, if not the main priority, to be solved. It definitely should.”
He added that he now believes issues between him and referees are personal:
“A lot of it is personal. When you give someone so much authority and they make it me against you, you can't overcome that.”
At least, Green is not only complaining about the situation but also offering a possible solution:
“They can get a new crop (of referees), a whole new crop. Too many personal things going on. Too much me against you. It just don't work that way.”
Players, coaches, and team executives who criticize and address officiating publicly with the media are fined by the NBA. These comments by Green will most probably be countered with a fine from the league office. Green is no stranger to paying these fines, as he has previously discussed officiating issues openly and consequently been fined on multiple occasions.
This season, the tension between the players and the referees are as high as ever. Ejections to NBA superstars LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Kevin Durant (multiple times) have made players criticize the officiating. The ejections plus an increased number of questionable calls and non-calls are getting in the players' minds.
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