Rudy Gobert fined 100k for money gesture to ref

The Cleveland Cavaliers took down the Minnesota Timberwolves last week in overtime, and Rudy Gobert fouled out of the game near the end of regulation. After the foul was called on Gobert, he made a money gesture to the ref, inferring that the ref was paid off. Gobert was given a technical foul, and he has now been fined $100,000 by the NBA because of the gesture.

“Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert has been fined $100,000 for directing an inappropriate and unprofessional gesture toward a game official, and publicly criticizing the officiating, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations,” The NBA statement read. “The fine takes into account Gobert’s past instances of conduct detrimental to the NBA with regard to publicly criticizing the officiating. Gobert’s actions took place during and after the Timberwolves’ 113-104 overtime loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 8 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.”

Rudy Gobert knows that he made a mistake, but he is still frustrated with the call. Still, that kind of mistake can’t happen in a close game like that, and he knows he hurt the Timberwolves.

“I’ll bite the bullet again,” Gobert said, according to an article from ESPN. “I’ll be the bad guy. I’ll take the fine, 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. My reaction, which I think was the truth, but it wasn’t the time to react that way. It cost my team the game. It was an immature reaction.”

The Cavaliers tied the game after Gobert received the technical.

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