Kelly Oubre Jr. recently opened up about his viral tirade directed at NBA referees following a controversial non-call during a Philadelphia 76ers game. The incident took place late in the 2023-24 season during a hard-fought contest against the Los Angeles Clippers, where Oubre believed he was fouled during a crucial play. Reflecting on the heated moment during an appearance on “Podcast P with Paul George,” Oubre explained what drove him to lash out at the officials.
“I blacked out, of course. Honestly, it was two basketball players, like, yeah, we’re gonna uphold the side. So I feel like I got fouled. The refs didn’t call the foul. I wanted to win that game.”
“You know, the team wanted to win that game real bad. I’m not gonna blame coach, but he was on the court going crazy. I’m like, yeah, like I’m gonna go ride for my dog. Took it way too far.”
“I must have apologized to everybody leaving that arena. Right after it happened and I see myself on House of Highlights, I was like embarrassed for real, man. You know, I don’t even remember those words coming out of me going for them like that.”
“And I didn’t get no calls for like two weeks after that either. If Nurse didn’t get fined 50K either, I would have been on the island alone looking crazy. But yeah, it was just all for the team, man. We just wanted to win. That’s all it was. I apologize to the refs, you know, and not this year, dawg.”
Oubre recalled the emotional and intense atmosphere of the game, sharing that he “blacked out” in the heat of the moment after the non-call. As the game wound down, Oubre found himself in a high-stakes situation. With just eight seconds left on the clock and the 76ers trailing the Clippers 108-107, Oubre drove to the basket for a potential game-winning shot.
Defended by Paul George, Oubre missed his attempt, feeling certain that he had been fouled. To his dismay, the referees did not blow the whistle. The lack of a call infuriated Oubre, and after the final buzzer, he let his frustrations boil over, directing harsh words at the officials.
Oubre wasn’t the only one irate at the outcome. Philadelphia head coach Nick Nurse was also seen visibly upset, adding fuel to Oubre’s fiery response. The moment became infamous when it quickly went viral on social media, with clips of Oubre cursing out the referees circulating on platforms like House of Highlights.
While Oubre expressed embarrassment over the incident, he also noted that there were repercussions for his actions. What made the situation even more frustrating for Oubre was that the NBA later confirmed that he was right—he had indeed been fouled by Paul George on the final play. The league’s Last 2-Minute Report, released after the game, revealed that the referees had missed a critical call, further validating Oubre’s feelings of frustration.
However, Oubre took responsibility for his behavior and expressed his desire to move past the incident. The Sixers, who were fighting for playoff positioning at the time, will look to start the 2024-25 season on a positive note, with Oubre hoping to be a key contributor to their success. For Oubre, the lesson from the incident is clear: passion and drive are important, but so is controlling emotions in high-pressure situations.
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