Ja Morant FaceTimed fans sitting courtside during the Grizzlies’ game against the Thunder on Saturday night. Referee Ray Acosta ejected the star guard earlier in the night.
“I got my first tech for saying I got hit in my fucking face. Didn’t curse at him,” Morant said after the game. “Another situation where he’s in my conversation and I get another tech for talking with a fan. I feel like when these fans came here, went online to buy these tickets, they didn’t say Ray [Acosta’s] name to come watch.”
Crew chief John Goble said that a first technical was issued for “use of profanity directed at an official.” The second was “for making a comment questioning the integrity of an official.”
As for FaceTiming the fans, Morant explained: “They came to support us. They came to watch us play. I don’t care about getting fined.
The fan Morant called was named Lisa and wore a Morant-themed sweatshirt to the game.
Morant finished the game with just six points while hitting 3-of-10 attempts. The Grizzlies went on to lose 115-109, snapping their seven-game win streak.
When asked whether he feels he’s been singled out by officiating crews, Morant said, “I don’t know. Probably so. Probably don’t like me.”
Refs also tossed him from a game on December 1 for making similar comments about officiating. Additionally, the league fined him $35,000 for the incident.
Check out the moment the referees ejected Morant below.
[Via]