Jason Kidd suspended for Friday’s game vs Magic after referee incident
By Josh Wilson
Jason Kidd, Milwaukee Bucks head coach, is suspended for Friday night’s game after slapping the ball out of an official’s hands on Wednesday.
Jason Kidd has been a polarizing head coach ever since he transitioned from being a player to a leader. From intentionally dumping drinks on the floor, to getting in trouble for drunk driving, and now for slapping basketballs out of a referee’s hands. According to ESPN, the NBA announced Friday evening that the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks would be suspended for Friday night’s contest against the Orlando Magic following an incident with an official during Wednesday night’s game.
The game on Wednesday against the Sacramento Kings was a heated one, and it went all the way down to the wire. Kidd had to go all the way down the court to get a timeout. In sticking up for himself and his players, he had a technical called on him, and the argument ended with him “swiping” the ball from the referee’s grasp. Kidd had to be restrained by a player and coach, and did not leave the court after being ejected in a quick manner.
Kiki Vandeweghe, vice president of basketball operations for the NBA, said in a statement that Kidd was being suspended for, “aggressively pursuing and confronting a game official, slapping the ball out of his hands and not leaving the court in a timely manner upon his ejection.”
Kidd doesn’t seem to have remorse for his actions, saying, “What happens in this league, you have to stand up for yourself, and my job is to protect those young guys.” Kidd won’t be able to stick up for his players tonight though, against the Magic, as he’ll have to hand the coaching duties to someone else for the evening.