LeBron James Faces Possible NBA Sanction After Referee Clash

LeBron James could face punishment from the NBA after an incident with a referee during the Lakers’ 116-114 win over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday.

James scored 26 points, with three rebounds and four assists, helping the Lakers remain in second place in the Western Conference with 18 wins and seven losses this season. The Denver Nuggets have 19 wins, while the Oklahoma City Thunder lead with 24.

The game was overshadowed by a clash in the third quarter. Suns forward Dillon Brooks was fouled by James’ teammate Luke Doncic, causing Brooks to lose control of the ball and hit it towards James. The 40-year-old reacted angrily, shouting at an official and grabbing the referee’s arm.

James had to be restrained by teammate Rui Hachimura and head coach JJ Redick. The incident is expected to result in disciplinary action from the NBA.

Previous cases suggest what might happen. In January 2025, Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin was suspended for one game without pay after making contact with and verbally abusing a referee. Mathurin described his own incident as “unfortunate” but said he had learned from it.

James’ incident is not the first involving Lakers players. Last April, Luka Doncic was ejected for allegedly abusing a referee, though he said he was responding to a fan. Last year, Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers was ejected after confronting a referee, though contact was deemed incidental and no further action was taken.

James’ clash with the official is now under review, with a possible suspension or fine expected depending on the NBA’s decision.