Los Angeles Lakers point guard Rajon Rondo has been fined $35,000 for verbally abusing a referee, failure to leave the court and “unsportsmanlike conduct” with Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Dennis Schroder, the NBA announced.
Rondo, who was given a Flagrant-2 after appearing to strike Schroeder in his nether regions in the Thunder’s 130-127 loss to the Lakers Friday evening, refused to leave the court for some time after being ejected, berating officials for the call.
The NBA is fining Rondo for the run-in with Schroder and subsequent behavior pic.twitter.com/Q0IqEMcFcl
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) November 23, 2019
The Kentucky product has a reputation for being a polarizing, even confrontational figure, and this most recent incident only adds to the laundry list of altercations the 14-year veteran has under his belt.
Teammate LeBron James disagreed with the call, stating (via ESPN), “I didn’t think it called for an ejection, but the refs have to do what they feel best fits” after the game.
Schroder, no stranger to such incidents himself, has yet to comment on the exchange publicly.