Shams Charania reported tonight that Wisconsin Herd coach Chase Buford had been suspended for two games over comments on officiating, which initially feels a bit excessive, right?
NBA G League suspended Wisconsin Herd coach Chase Buford for two games “for a direct and extended public attack on the integrity and credibility of the game officials.”
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 25, 2020
After all, even when NBA coaches, players, or owners call officiating into question, they typically do it knowing full well that nothing more than a fine is coming. Mark Cuban just did it the other day! So what would a G League coach have to do to earn not just a suspension, but a multigame suspension?
Well, here it is, from a press scrum following the Herd’s 126-117 loss to the Grand Rapids Drive on Sunday:
Early candidate for coaching rant of the year! Wisconsin Herd Head Coach Chase Buford after his team saw a 21-point lead disappear in the 4th quarter vs. Grand Rapids. And because he asked: @nbagleague pic.twitter.com/cw5t1lMSKI
— Ryan Rodig (@ryanrodig) February 24, 2020
“The officiating definitely went right for Grand Rapids. That was as unprofessional an officiating performance…I hope you tweet this out and tag the league, because that was embarrassing. [Referee] Matt Rafferty is a fucking clown. That being said, we have to be so much better at the end of games, we can’t blow a 21-point lead with twelve minutes to go. However bad and biased and unfair and illegal and cheating the referees are, we have to be better closing games.”
The closing litany of accusations is the obvious showstopper, but don’t sleep on how he said he hoped it would be tweeted out and that they’d tag the league. Buford and Herd GM Dave Dean issued apologies shortly after:
— Ryan Rodig (@ryanrodig) February 24, 2020
Chase is the son of longtime Spurs executive R.C. Buford, and he’s in his first season as a G League coach after working as an assistant for Atlanta’s G League team and in player development and scouting for the Bulls and Hawks, respectively. He’s apparently quite passionate, at least. And you have to hand it to him: he earned every bit of those two games off.
