The NBA fined Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown $35,000 for “aggressively pursuing” an official during the Kings’ 108-103 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.
The incident occurred in the second quarter of the game when Brown, frustrated over what he believed was a missed foul call, charged toward an official. The coach angrily confronted the referee along the sideline, getting right in his face, but he avoided ejection from the game. Brown’s outburst resulted in a technical foul, but the Kings were able to rally, cutting a 19-point deficit to just eight points by halftime. However, they could not complete the comeback and ultimately fell to the Nets.
Brown has previously received fines for his interactions with officials. Last season, he was penalized $50,000 after being ejected for confronting a referee and using his laptop in a postgame press conference to review questionable calls. Despite his fiery demeanor, Brown led the Kings to the playoffs for the first time in over 15 years in 2023, earning NBA Coach of the Year honors.
The Kings are currently on a four-game losing streak and have dropped seven of their last 10 games, holding an 8-10 record as they prepare for a matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. Brown, now in his third season with Sacramento, has a 102-80 record as the team’s head coach.
