The NBA has fined Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert $100,000 for making an “inappropriate and unprofessional gesture” towards a referee and publicly criticizing their officiating.
According to a release from the league, Gobert made a money sign at one of the officials during the Timberwolves’ 113-104 overtime loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.
The French 7-footer rubbed his fingers together several times towards referee Scott Foster after receiving his sixth foul of the game with 27 seconds left, which meant he was ejected.
After the loss, Gobert implied that “sports betting could be having a major impact on the outcome of games.”
“I’ll bite the bullet again,” Gobert said at the postgame news conference, per ESPN. “I’ll be the bad guy…but I think it’s hurting our game. I know the betting and all that is becoming bigger and bigger, but it shouldn’t feel that way.”
He also apologized for his actions but still expressed concern that the officiating throughout the entire game was bad, ESPN reported.
This is not the three-time All-Star selection’s first controversy; he infamously downplayed the COVID-19 pandemic by touching every one of the press members’ microphones before leaving a news conference in March 2020. Days later, he tested positive for coronavirus himself.
The 31-year-old is averaging 13 rebounds per game in his second season with the Timberwolves, good for the second-most in the league.
Minnesota will be at Crypto.com Arena Sunday night to take on the Lakers at 6:30 p.m.
