Ime Udoka Explodes on Refs After Rockets Loss, Gets Ejected Later

Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka lost his composure when he noticed that the officiated crew appeared to rig the calls.

With the team falling to the Sacramento Kings in a 120-11 beatdown, Udoka's frustrations boiled over late in the game, culminating in a double technical foul and his subsequent ejection, along with center Alperen Sengun.

Udoka's Heated Reaction to Missed Calls

Ime Udoka Explodes on Refs After Rockets Loss, Gets Ejected

Sports Illustrated reports that the tension began to build between Udoka and the referees when he felt that there were some "blatant" missed foul calls against Sengun during a critical drive to the basket.

Udoka, incensed with the lack of whistles, confronted referee John Goble, and that was the beginning of a heated exchange that saw both him and Alperen Sengun tossed from the game.

In the post-game press conference, Udoka did not mince words:

"Thought [Sengun] got fouled a few times on that drive, on the layup, and they don't want to call it," Udoka said. "So get some f***ing glasses and open your eyes."

He then targeted Goble personally, saying, "John Goble, whoever it was, sees it, doesn't call it. I'ma let 'em know about it."

"You're calling ticky-tack moving screens, little s*** like that, but you don't want to call the obvious ones right in front of you," Udoka said. "That was it."

NBA Coaches and Players Upset with Refereeing

Udoka is not alone in voicing frustration about the inconsistency of officiating in the NBA.
In fact, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr slammed the referees on the same night when his team lost to the Denver Nuggets 119-115.

The Rockets' Challenge and Udoka's Passion

Udoka's outburst is reasonable and with the team's close game with its opponents, it's an innate response to erroneous calls in the league.

He has high hopes that the young squad will recover in the late game, with Sengun in the driver's seat. While his passion is evident, Udoka's fiery demeanor may come at a cost—likely in the form of a hefty fine from the NBA.

The Rockets are shaping up under Udoka, his first season with the team. This game, though, shows once more that inconsistency is a persistent dilemma for the refereeing group, one common across the league.

Ime Udoka's fire-and-brimstone comments are an example of the increased scrutiny towards NBA referees this season.

Whether the rant is justified or over-exaggerated, one thing can be understood: the debate concerning NBA refereeing isn't close to a solution anytime soon.