Former NBA ref slams ‘a—–e' CP3 for being ‘image cultivator'
Former NBA ref slams ‘a—–e' CP3 for being ‘image cultivator' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
It's no secret that Chris Paul has a complicated history with NBA referees. And not just with 29-year veteran Scott Foster.
Former NBA ref Bill Spooner spoke with The Athletic's Jason Quick for a feature story on Foster, where he discussed his relationship with Paul and why he's not a fan of the veteran point guard.
“I’m going to tell you, and I know you are recording me, but I get asked all the time: ‘Who are some of the tough guys, some of the bad guys?’ And when I tell them that Chris Paul, in my 32 years in the league, was one of the biggest a------s I ever dealt with, they say, ‘Not Rasheed Wallace … or da-da-da?’ Nope. Nothing like (Paul),” Spooner told Quick. “… And they are like, ‘Oh, he seems like such a nice guy.’ And I say, ‘Yeah, he’s a great image cultivator.'”
Yikes.
The 67-year-old Spooner refereed NBA games for over three decades, including the first 15 seasons of Paul's career before retiring after the 2020-21 season.
It's safe to say Spooner has plenty of experience with Paul, who undoubtedly has developed somewhat of a negative reputation in the eyes of some refs, players, teams and fans over the years. Just ask Dub Nation what they thought of Paul before the 2023-24 season.
But is the 19-year veteran truly the 'biggest a-----e' in the NBA? That's in the eye of the beholder.
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