A visibly frustrated Chris Paul slammed his ejection after another heated exchange with referee Scott Foster in the Golden State Warriors 123-115 loss to his former team Phoenix Suns on Wednesday.
“It’s personal,” Paul said of his long-running feud with Foster which dates back to his Los Angeles Clippers days. “We had a situation some years ago, and it’s personal.”
“The league knows, everybody knows, and it’s been a meeting and all that. It’s a situation with my son and so, yeah. I’m OK with a ref talking, saying whatever, just don’t use a tech to get your point across. I gotta do a better job making sure I stay on the floor for my teammates. But, yeah, that’s that.”
Paul and Foster had a lengthy conversation after the Warriors guard committed a foul on Kevin Durant with just 23.2 seconds left in the first half. It quickly escalated into a heated argument that incensed Foster, who called successive technical fouls on Paul. Stephen Curry stepped in before Paul could get his hands on Foster.
It’s the Scott Foster show, starring Scott Foster
Warriors coach Steve Kerr also incurred a technical foul on the bizarre ending to the first half.
Without elaborating, Paul said he had a meeting with Foster during his Clippers sting about the simmering situation involving his son. The meeting, he said, included his father, his former Clippers coach Doc Rivers and former NBA referee Bob Delaney.
“It’s been a whole thing but it’s been going on for a while,” Paul said before turning to a Warriors PR Man. “I didn’t say anything that will get me fined, right?”
Chris Paul and Scott Foster’s Long History
Paul’s long-running feud with Foster spans his playing career with five teams — Clippers, Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Suns and now the Warriors.
“If I was a betting man… Eleven, eleven games in a row,” Paul said during the 2021 playoffs, referring to his losing streak in games officiated by Foster.
Paul finally broke a 13-playoff game losing streak with Foster officiating in the last playoffs.
Chris Paul Misses Suns Video Tribute
The ejection cut short Paul’s return to Phoenix after playing for three seasons with the Suns and leading them to the NBA Finals in 2021.
He finished six points, six assists and two rebounds.
Before the game, the Suns played a video tribute and when asked to comment about it, Paul was surprised.
“Man, I’m in the back,” Paul told the reporters. “Well, then I appreciate it. Like for real man, this fan base is amazing to me and my family.”
“And I mean every game, like seven minutes on the clock, I’m in the back and trying to get this engine started pregame. But man, I appreciate them wholeheartedly. Seriously. I have three amazing years here.”
The Suns traded Paul to the Washington Wizards as part of the Bradley Beal package. The Wizards, in turn, traded him to the Warriors for a package headlined by Jordan Poole, a top-20 protected 2030 first-round pick, Ryan Rollins, a 2027 second-round pick and cash considerations.
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Ejected Warriors Guard Chris Paul Cries Foul: ‘It’s Personal’