Fred VanVleet spoke with Bleacher Report’s Talylor Rooks on her ‘Taylor Rooks X’ podcast earlier this week, diving into his Ben Taylor outburst last month and what he hoped to see from NBA officials.
The Raptors point guard had some poignant thoughts on the state of officiating and how he felt the relationship between the players and officials needed to grow.
“They’ve got an impossible job, for sure, especially with social media,” VanVleet told Rooks. “But I think the discourse and communication between the players and the refs has gone a little sideways.”
VanVleet pointed to the NBA’s rules on technical fouls, and the lack of clarity in his view of what crossed the line, and what was fair game.
“We know how to get a tech. I’ve been in the league long enough, I know how to earn a tech,” the 2021-22 All-Star said. “The rules (though), I think there’s got to be a better feel for the game and the moment.”
“Unless there’s some long-term play that I don’t see yet, I don’t see how that benefits our game.”
In calling for expanded flexibility from referees, articulating that there needed to be an increased awareness of a game’s ebbs and flows, VanVleet gave his flowers to some veteran referees, applauding their willingness to listen, or tact when dealing with fiery players.
To the 29-year-old, however, it’s some of younger officials that have been insistent on calling games to the letter, even at times using the threat of a technical foul as a proverbial weapon to hang over a player’s head.
That, to VanVleet, doesn’t make sense.
“It’s like an authority thing. I don’t believe the game should be like that.”
Amongst those younger referees, of course, is Taylor, the 37-year-old in his 10th year as an NBA official, and of course, the target of VanVleets viral tirade on NBA officiating.
VanVleet explained, however, that the pair have since spoken, and that the rant had truthfully stemmed from a growing frustration around the league, not just Taylor in particular.
“That was just something that just came out, it just happened,” he said. “I was frustrated, we had a couple of bad nights in a row.”
“I don’t really regret it — maybe not saying his name so it wasn’t so much attention on him,” VanVleet told Rooks. “I think I made my point and I think you saw the reception around the league.”