After the final buzzer sounded on the Utah Jazz’s win over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night, De’Aaron Fox, frustrated with the way the game was officiated decided to approach one of the officials.
Seeing that the conversation was getting heated, Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell stepped in between Fox and the referee, hoping to spare Fox from getting fined by the league.
“The game was over and Fox has been a friend of mine since high school and there’s no need to lose money over a situation like that. Game is over, competition is over so now that’s my guy.” — Donovan Mitchell
“The game was over and Fox has been a friend of mine since high school and there’s no need to lose money over a situation like that. Game is over, competition is over so now that’s my guy,” Mitchell said. “I figured he would do the same for me. That’s what it was. You know, between the lines it’s war, but when I see that, I’m kind of like, yo that’s an easy $15,000 lost, might as well save that.”
Fox appreciated the gesture and echoed Mitchell’s sentiments about being there for a friend even moments after a fiercely competitive game.
“Between the lines we’re competitors, going after each other, but it’s definitely great to have somebody like that,” Fox said. “It’s always great when I’m able to play against a guy who I’ve known since high school and seeing how well he’s doing and what he’s doing for his team. And, as soon as the game is over, the competition’s done, we’re back to being the boys that we were.”
Unfortunately Mitchell’s efforts are most likely to prove futile. Fox figured he was probably already in hot water with the league, so he let loose in his post game interview.
Fox said that his frustration came because he felt the officiating wasn’t even between the teams, and during the game when he tried to approach the officials about certain calls they would tell him not to talk to them.
“If you’re going to call something on one end, call them on the other end,” Fox said. “And if somebody’s trying to talk to you, you can’t get in your feelings so quick when it’s not even a hostile conversation. ...and then you’re coming down guessing on plays where balls goes out of bounds and they’re asking us and you know what the [expletive] is going on and then they just call something. At least go look at the monitor or something.”
Fox wasn’t the only one upset with the way the calls fell on Saturday. Sacramento head coach Luke Walton pointed out the discrepancy in free throws attempted by Mitchell (17) and Fox (6) noting that both players attack the basket with physicality and should get the same treatment from officials.
“The officiating is what it is,” Fox said. “We have to play through that and we didn’t finish the game well.”
That’s probably the answer that the league would have been happy with, but it came after Fox had already gotten his real feelings off his chest.