Chris Paul has articulated his thoughts regarding former NBA referee Bill Spooner’s characterization of him as “one of the most difficult players” he’s ever dealt with.
In case you missed it, Spooner didn’t mince words when talking about the renowned Point God.
“In full acknowledgement that you’re recording, I’m frequently asked, ‘Which players cause the headaches, the infamous ones?'” Spooner shared with The Athletic. “And when I let slip that Chris Paul, throughout my thirty-plus years in the league, qualified as one of the supreme nuisances I’ve encountered, they’re taken aback, ‘Not Rasheed Wallace … or another?’ Absolutely not. None match up to (Paul). They’re puzzled, saying ‘But he seems so genteel.’ And I add, ‘Sure, he’s adept at maintaining his public image.'”
On The Pat McAfee Show, Paul had an eloquent retort to Spooner’s remarks.
“A good number of other [referees] probably feel the same way,” Paul disclosed to McAfee. “Regarding that referee, I had to refresh my memory of him. … It’s clear he’s been in the league for quite a while, and you can guess who he might be good friends with.
“He was possibly miffed I didn’t choose him for the newest State Farm commercial.”
Paul hints at Spooner’s ‘good friend’, likely referring to his longstanding rival and current NBA referee Scott Foster.
There’s a notable record of tension between the two, with Foster holding an even grander success rate in playoff showdowns against Paul than the Warriors’ guard holds against Foster.
It’s almost certain that Paul and Foster will have additional fiery run-ins during the expected 2024-25 season.
Image Source: Chris Paul / Instagram
