NBA fines Kings coach Mike Brown $25,000 for cursing at referee

(FILES) In this file photo taken on December 13, 2022 head coach Mike Brown of the Sacramento Kings reacts during the first quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)

Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Friday for cursing at a referee before being ejected from a victory on Wednesday at Toronto.

The league issued the punishment to Brown for “aggressively pursuing and directing profane language toward a game official” according to a league statement.

Brown was assessed two technical fouls and ejected with 9:09 remaining in the third quarter of Sacramento’s 124-123 triumph over the Raptors.

After being whistled for the first technical, Brown strode onto the court toward the referee and continued his expletive-filled comments until receiving the second technical foul and being restrained by assistants and Kings players.

Brown, a 52-year-old American, was the 2009 NBA Coach of the Year while guiding the Cleveland Cavaliers. He has won four NBA titles as an assistant coach, one with San Antonio and three with Golden State.

Brown took over as coach of the Kings this season, joining the club in June after helping Golden State capture the NBA crown. It’s his first head coaching post since 2013-14 with Cleveland.

At 15-12, the Kings stand sixth in the Western Conference.