Steve Kerr had a couple of things to say about Luka Doncic and the way he draws some fouls when attacking the rim. The Slovenian player is one of the most gifted players in the league but he doesn’t miss a chance to get some extra shots with fouls, which hasn’t sat well with the rest of the league.
Doncic takes advantage of the rules and draws fouls looking for contact with his defenders and not everybody is a fan of that, including Steve Kerr, who watched the player doing that against Andrew Wiggins. After the game was over, Kerr talked about Doncic and explained that he’s not mad with the player or the officials, but the league, as they’re the ones dictating what plays should be called and what plays not.
“I don’t fault the officials. I fault the league for basically gifting those calls to all of our players. Our guys get them, too. To me, it’s not a basketball play. If you jump three feet forward, I don’t think you deserve a foul when all you’re doing is looking for a foul. I think the league has done a great job helping find a really good place for the offense players to shine, the athleticism to be on display for fans. But we’ve gotten out of control gifting offensive players the ability to deceive the refs or to grab, whatever, jump three or four feet into a guy and draw a foul. We have to give the defensive player some benefit of a doubt. But the officials have to call it because that’s the way the league dictates they call it. I have no problem with the officials.”
Asked Steve Kerr about the lean-in fouls that Luka Doncic got tonight (and so many others get on a nightly basis): "I don’t fault the officials. I fault the league for basically gifting those calls to all of our players." https://t.co/lbTFd31Hw9 pic.twitter.com/RUI1RDsdPn
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) February 7, 2021
This has been a recurrent topic in the league this season. Besides Doncic, Trae Young has also been criticized for his tactics but just like Doncic, he’s using the rules in his favor. This is one of the most controversial plays in the NBA and a lot of people are against it. The league won’t probably change that in the near future but they’re noting that more people are speaking against it this campaign.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsGZ6I8U6GE
