For the first time in his 15-year career, LeBron James was ejected from an NBA game on Tuesday night against the Miami Heat. Since it involved one of the game's best players, the referee that ejected James spoke to reporters following the game to explain why he ejected him.
Here is what referee Kane Fitzgerald had to say on the ejection:
James is seen driving to the basket on the play and felt as though he was fouled. After the non-call, he let the referee know he was upset with it and that led to his ejection. He didn't appear to make contact with the official, but was ejected anyway.
James explained what happened to reporters after the game.
"I got fouled all the way up the court, from the time that I stripped him, all the way until I got to the rim," James said of the sequence leading up to his ejection. "I said what I had to say and then I moved on, but he decided I should get [ejected]. It is what it is. We got the win, and that's what's most important."
For most of his career, James gets the benefit of the doubt from officials regarding foul calls or apparent traveling violations, but the ref didn't give him that advantage of Tuesday night.
