Fred VanVleet Tears Into NBA Officials In Expletive-Laden Rant

Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet sat at the podium in front of a handful of cameras and proceeded to go on a rant against NBA officials Wednesday night. And while players calling out officials is not a new development in sports, it feels as if the extensiveness of VanVleet’s rant was almost unprecedented.

Because during a time when players in all sports would rather keep their money than criticize referees, VanVleet instead got his money’s worth in a different way.

“I don’t mind, I’ll take a fine, I don’t really care,” VanVleet told reporters after Toronto’s 108-100 loss, per ESPN. “I thought Ben Taylor was (expletive) terrible tonight. I think that on most nights, you know out of the three (officials), there’s one or two that just (expletive) the game up. It’s been like that a couple of games in a row.

“Denver was tough, obviously,” he continued, referencing Toronto’s loss two nights prior. “You come out tonight, competing pretty hard, and I get a (expletive) tech that changes the whole dynamic of the game, changed the whole flow of the game.”

Taylor issued VanVleet a technical foul with 7:02 remaining in the third quarter as the Los Angeles possessed a seven-point lead. It was VanVleet’s eighth technical of the season.

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“Most of the refs are trying hard. I like a lot of the refs, they’re trying hard, they’re pretty fair and communicate well,” VanVleet said. “And then you got the other ones who just want to be (expletive) and just kind of (expletive) the game up. And no one’s coming to see that (expletive). They come to see the players.”

According to ESPN, three of VanVleet’s eight technical fouls have come from Taylor with another one coming from another official in a game Taylor was officiating. VanVleet said he couldn’t help but feel like it is personal.

“There’s been certain times this year where I feel our team is getting consumed with the way the whistle is going,” VanVleet said. “Especially after the night we just had in Denver, the way that finished, so there were a couple calls earlier that we all disagreed with. And if I say to my team, ‘Come on, guys, let’s keep playing (through) the (expletive)’ and that warrants a tech, I think that’s a little bit crazy. Like what are we doing? Know what I mean?

“And there’s a fine line obviously, I understand that,” VanVleet said. “But I think the jurisdiction and the power trip that we’ve been on this year with some of our officials in this league is getting out of hand and I’ll take my fine for speaking on it, but it’s (expletive) ridiculous.”

You can listen to VanVleet’s criticisms here, though it does include NSFW language.

It’s safe to assume VanVleet didn’t make things any easier for himself with NBA officials, in addition to the fine he certainly will receive from the league.