NBA referees have one of the toughest jobs of any profession. They constantly face criticism from fans and players for even the slightest wrong calls during the game. Over the years, fans have witnessed referees making bad calls that can even affect the outcome of the game. Recently, Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker took a dig at referees on D’Angelo Russell‘s “Backyard Podcast.”
Booker and D’Angelo Russell discussed some questionable referee calls, with Booker even taking a cheeky jab at Russell. Russell shared a story about a game in which his Los Angeles Lakers were playing against Booker and the Phoenix Suns.
At the time, Russell was still early in his career and had received six free throws in the game. This seemed suspicious, as young players often have little chance to argue with referees about free throws.
In LA? Ain’t that convenient. You didn’t get it in Brooklyn or Golden State. That makes sense.
Devin Booker said
Booker took a cheeky shot at the story, saying that if Russell had been with the Brooklyn Nets or the Golden State Warriors, he wouldn’t have been so lucky. Booker humorously suggested that Russell benefited from the referees simply because he wore Lakers gear. Both Booker and Russell were clearly joking about the common belief among fans that the Lakers receive more favorable calls from referees than other teams.
D’Angelo Russell: “I was in [Los Angeles]. We [were] playing Phoenix… I used to get the whistle, my boy.”
Devin Booker: “In LA, ain’t that convenient. You didn’t get it in Brooklyn or Golden State. That makes sense.” 😂
(via @The_BackyardPod)pic.twitter.com/ZT6wpPdOBF
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 5, 2024
Last season with the Lakers, Russell averaged one of his lowest free throw attempts per game, with 2.5 FTA. His fewest free throw attempts were during his rookie season, with 2.4 FTA. Both Booker and Russell are great friends and had a great time on the podcast together.
Devin Booker and D’Angelo Russell recall their first matchup
Both NBA stars Devin Booker and D’Angelo Russell were drafted into the NBA in 2015. Russell was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers as the 2nd pick, while Booker was chosen by the Phoenix Suns as the 13th pick. On the same podcast, Booker and Russell discussed their first meeting.
Booker and Russell first met at the NBA 100 camp, where they developed a strong friendship. Russell noted that Booker made an immediate impact with his playing style during the camp. Since then, they have teamed up to help each other improve and have maintained a deep mutual respect for one another.
I was just like, bro, what’s your name type sh** bro. You cold, bro, what’s your name. I remember guarding each other and he just was going to dunk that. He was just polished, I was just a fan every camp. We found a way to be teammates, the older we got, we found a way to dominate sh** together.
D’Angelo Russell on the Backyard Podcast
Both stars have since enjoyed successful individual careers in the NBA, with Russell now playing for the Lakers again and Booker continuing his career with the Suns.
