MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The NBA has imposed a significant fine on Minnesota
Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert for a gesture he made during the team’s defeat to Cleveland on Friday.
Gobert has been fined $100,000 for what the league describes as an “unprofessional gesture” towards official Scott Foster. Gobert received a technical foul after making a “cash” gesture by rubbing his fingers together following a sixth foul call by referee Scott Foster late in the game.
The technical foul came at an inopportune moment for the Wolves, who held a one-point lead before the foul shots. Although they managed to force overtime, they ultimately lost 113-104.
In a statement, the NBA stated that the fine “takes into consideration Gobert’s previous instances of behavior detrimental to the NBA, particularly in publicly criticizing officiating.”
Gobert has a track record of criticizing game officials. In March of last year, he was fined $25,000 after suggesting that referees were intentionally influencing game outcomes. Additionally, while playing for the Jazz, he received a $20,000 fine for criticizing officiating as “awful” following a game.
In 2018, Gobert was fined $15,000 for complaining that Utah was unfairly treated by officials in a game against Miami, citing the team’s smaller-market status. Furthermore, in 2017, he was fined $25,000 for making contact with a referee in response to a foul call.
Conversely, referee Scott Foster has been subject to scrutiny in the past for his officiating, notably regarding his interactions with star point guard Chris Paul. The tension between the two has become so intense that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addressed the matter following Paul’s ejection during a game last December.
Foster has also encountered criticism and speculation regarding his previous friendship with disgraced NBA referee Tim Donaghy.