Heat’s Bam Adebayo Fined $50K For Response To Official

Heat center Bam Adebayo has been fined $50K for “making inappropriate contact with and directing profane language toward a game official,” the NBA announced (via Twitter). The incident happened following Miami’s 106-104 loss to Minnesota Friday night.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was also critical of the officiating, believing that Adebayo got fouled by Minnesota’s Julius Randle on a last-second three-point attempt, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Adebayo said he was “too busy shooting the ball” to determine if Randle fouled him, but he was upset about referee Kevin Cutler’s refusal to discuss the play.

“Nothing, nothing,” Adebayo told reporters when asked if Cutler offered an explanation. “And it wasn’t even about the last play. It was throughout the whole game. To me, like I said, I don’t really get too confrontational. I really don’t get into it with the refs because it’s their job and it’s our job too at the end of the day. We got dudes fighting for everything on the line. So to me, it’s like have the decency enough to look me in my eyes when I’m having a conversation. 

“Obviously, we lost. I don’t understand why they think we can’t be emotional. We’re going to be emotional. Win or lose games, if we have a conversation and it gets heated, it’s not because I just want to go at you. It’s because [expletive] is happening in the game. Like I said, man, have the decency enough to look a man in his eye and not walk away. That to me is utterly disrespectful in a man’s game.”

Chiang points out that Adebayo has only been whistled for one technical foul all season and has just one ejection in his career. Adebayo indicated that the respect he shows toward officials made it especially frustrating when Cutler refused to respond.

“I’m pretty cool with all the referees,” Adebayo continued. “That’s the thing. I’m not confrontational, but I am emotional when I’m out there because we’re fighting to get wins. Everybody does it. I’ve seen dudes really say some crazy stuff to referees and they don’t take them out. So I had the decency enough to wait until after the game to have my conversation because it’s like, ‘I want to have a conversation with you.’ That’s what you’re supposed to do as a man, face to face. But when you’re walking away and stuff like that, that’s just truly disrespectful and I feel like stuff should happen when they do that. Because when we get emotional and we walk away, we get (technicals) and we get fined and I think that’s crazy.”

Chiang adds that the NBA’s Last Two Minute Report issued today confirms that the no-call was the correct decision, stating that Randle made “marginal contact.”