Anthony Edwards of the Timberwolves Fined for Criticizing NBA Officials

Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards will pay a hefty fine during the holiday season. The former No. 1 draft pick received a $75,000 fine by the NBA on Monday for criticizing officiating after the Timberwolves lost 113-103 to the Golden State Warriors on Saturday.

After his game comments, Edwards didn’t hold back regarding the referees’ performance. “There was terrible officiating,” Edwards added, feeling the officials have taken a lackadaisical approach to how they executed their job.

Edwards said: ‘They don’t want to come back at my coach, don’t want to come back at me.’ I had one of those, I said one thing to a ref and he gave me a tech foul. I asked one of my teammates if the ref said if I had said ‘bad calls,’ I would have got another tech. That’s ridiculous.”

It’s not the first time this year that Edwards has been fined by the league. In January, he was fined $40,000 for curbing comments towards the officials, then fined $35,000 in November when he made an obscene gesture towards fans.

NBA head of basketball operations Joe Dumars said Edwards was cited for ‘public criticism of officiating and use of inappropriate and profane language.’

(This NBA rough on Edwards over comments?)

Edwards cast a spell over the NBA for his star power, flowing charisma and stunning displays yet was once seen as a potential future face of the NBA. But the hype around Edwards has faded as the league suffers from declining viewership this season.

Edwards has been successful on the court since entering the NBA in controversy with average numbers of 25.6 points, 5.4 rebound and 4 assists per game.