Future Hall of Famer Chris Paul is sure to have many fans.
But former NBA referee Bill Spooner is not among them.
“I'm telling you, I know you're recording me, but I get asked all the time, 'Tough guys, who's the bad guy?' And when I was in the league When I tell them that Chris Paul was one of the biggest, worst players I've ever dealt with in 32 years, they say, “No Rasheed Wallace…or Da Da Da?” No, there's nothing like (Paul),'' said Spooner, who retired in 2020 after 32 seasons, The Athletic's Jason Quick reported.
“And they're like, 'Oh, he seems like a really nice guy.' And I say, 'Yeah, he's a great image builder.'”
The comment was posted on the profile of NBA referee Scott Foster, who has a particularly close relationship with Paul.
The two men have a long history, as CBS Sports' Jack Maroney detailed following Scott's decision to eject Paul from a November game. The point guard even said at the time, “It's personal. We had a situation like this a few years ago, but it's personal. The league knows, everyone knows.” .
He also lost 13 straight playoff games that Foster officiated.
This losing streak was such that, after the 11-game losing streak that occurred in the 2021 NBA Finals when Paul was with the Phoenix Suns, he even said, “If I were a betting man, it would be 11-game losing streak.''
But Spooner defended Foster, noting that he is someone the NBA often turns to when it needs someone to officiate a high-profile game.
This comment suggests that Paul may be unpopular among umpires, even outside of Foster. He has never shied away from arguing with umpires during games or voicing his opinions in post-game press conferences, and has potentially irritated some umpires throughout his long career. There is also gender.
Paul also just finished his 19th season, so most people around the league have undoubtedly worked on many games involving him. There was a lot of back and forth after the call, and the 12-time All-Star may not have many friends in the officiating community.
