The NBA, for better or worse, is a rigorously officiated league. Gone are the days of incidents like “The Malice at the Palace,” as referees have a far quicker trigger for handing out technical fouls, let alone common fouls. Still, some players toe the line regularly, like Luka Dončić.
A bona fide superstar in his prime, he has always been an animated character on the court. That has led to some friction with the referees, as he regularly remains near the top of the league when it comes to technical fouls. After receiving his 16th of the season, here’s everything fans need to know about the repercussions against him.
Consequences of Luka Dončić’s 16th Technical Foul
The rule for being assessed a technical foul, which counts as an act of unsportsmanlike conduct, falls under two major criteria. Due to conduct, players can be assessed a technical foul by the referee if their actions are seen as detrimental to the game.
Actions like disrespecting or physically contacting an official, overt actions against calls, the use of profanity, unnatural physical contact, or taunting can count under that rule, leading to the player being subjected to a technical foul.
Dončić, who has consistently been known for his loud trash-talking and complaining about foul calls, naturally stands near the top of the league when it comes to the total number of technical fouls.
Two technical fouls in the same game, or a Flagrant 2 foul, lead to an automatic ejection. For the latter, the player is also assessed a fine of at least $2,000.
But the NBA also keeps track of the total number of technical fouls against a player. A lengthy record of getting into fights can lead to long suspensions as well, such as Draymond Green, who was suspended indefinitely after his repeated altercations.
For a singular regular season, a player is assigned a $2,000 fine for each of the first five technical fouls assessed against them. That number rises to $3,000 for the subsequent five before it increases to $4,000 for technical foul numbers 11–15.
At No. 16, which Dončić reached against the Brooklyn Nets, the player is subjected to a $5,000 fine and also suspended for his next game. In Dončić’s case, that would mean that he misses the Los Angeles Lakers’ matchup against the Washington Wizards.
However, he’ll have to be extra careful for the rest of the year, as each additional technical will come with a $5,000 fine, and two technicals would lead to another one-game suspension.
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The NBA does give players the opportunity to argue against the technical foul. Earlier in the season, the five-time All-NBA selection was given his 16th technical. But he and the team argued against the call, and the foul was rescinded.
Los Angeles will be hoping something similar can come to pass this time around as well. With fewer than 10 games remaining in the season, the potential MVP candidate is going to be an invaluable piece for them as they try to keep hold of the No. 3 seed.
