Illawarra Hawks coach Justin Tatum fined after calling NBL referees ‘incompetent’

Illawarra coach Justin Tatum has learned his fate after Basketball Australia’s integrity unit found he breached its code of conduct by calling referees ‘incompetent’ after the Hawks’ loss to United.

Illawarra coach Justin Tatum will pay a $3000 fine and has apologised for scornful comments he directed at the NBL’s referees.

A Basketball Australia integrity unit investigation found Tatum’s broadside that implied referees had dictated the result of the Hawks’ Thursday night loss to Melbourne United had breached its code of conduct.

It’s understood integrity unit investigators felt Tatum could have expressed his views without implying the officials’ were “incompetent”

In a statement, the Hawks accepted the sanction and Tatum apologised.

“As the head coach of the Illawarra Hawks, I acknowledge the responsibility of my role at the club and the example I set for my players and coaching staff and I apologise for comments made at the post-match media conference in reference to the NBL officials,” Tatum said.

Hawks coach Justin Tatum. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images.

The second-year NBL coach, who is the father of NBA superstar Jayson Tatum, told the referee he made a “bleeping terrible call” when Will Hickey was hit with a contentious foul on United’s Chris Goulding in the chaotic final minute of the 92-87 defeat.

Tatum lashed the referees for their influence on the game and inflamed “flopping” allegations against Goulding when the Melbourne veteran fell to the floor after minimal contact from Hickey in the dying stages.

“The fans pay money and want to come and see the players, not some incompetent referees that let their feelings at that time dictate the game,” he said.

Tatum also suggested he was singled out because of his presence on the sidelines – a comment that irked Sydney Kings part owner Andrew Bogut who was disappointed he’d ’played the race card’.

“I’m intimidating, I guess my voice is too deep and I’m too tall and my skin colour’s different or whatever it is,” Tatum said.

“It’s me, you know, because I hear the same coaches say similar things or complain about the same stuff and their leash is a little bit longer.

“But I guess I have to be made an example out of.”

Originally published as Illawarra Hawks coach Justin Tatum fined after calling NBL referees ‘incompetent’