Brooklyn Nets assistant coach David Vanterpool has been fined $10,000 and the franchise penalised $25,000 after bizarrely interfering with play in Wednesday’s 119-118 win over the Washington Wizards.
The incident, which occurred with the Nets leading 109-103 with 5:42 remaining on the clock in the fourth quarter, went unnoticed at the time by officials but led to a turnover of opposition by the Wizards.
Referee Ben Taylor said none of the officials saw the deflection, as Vanterpool raised his hand and touched a pass for Kyle Kuzma.
Kuzma along with Spencer Dinwiddie, who passed the ball, both demonstratively protested the lack of a decision after Vanterpool interfered with the live play.
“You asked me if he may have touched it, there is no may have, he did,” Wizards acting head coach Joseph Blair told reporters after Wednesday’s game.
“My reaction was utter disbelief. I’ve never seen in my very long time in basketball something happen like that that the referees didn’t see.”