Kobe Bryant Calls Referee Bennie Adams 'F--king F--got' (VIDEO)

UPDATE: After reviewing the incident, the NBA fined Kobe Bryant $100,000 for yelling an anti-gay slur at a referee during Tuesday night's game.

Kobe released a statement addressing the outburst.

"What I said last night should not be taken literally," he said. "My actions were out of frustration during the heat of the game, period. The words expressed do NOT reflect my feelings towards the gay and lesbian communities and were NOT meant to offend anyone.”

In the middle of the third quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers' 102-93 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night, Kobe Bryant received a technical foul for continuing to argue with the referee.

As Bryant made his way to the bench, he was visibly upset and shouted a homophobic slur at referee Bennie Adams.

TNT cameras caught the five-time NBA champion clearly calling Adams a "f--king f--got."

Steve Kerr noticed and said that TNT "might want to take the camera off him right now, for the children watching."

On Monday, the NBA rescinded Bryant's 15th technical foul of the season.

Scroll down to watch the video.

WATCH:

Comments

[Harry John Bous]

04:54 AM on 04/30/2011

Kobe made an unacceptable remark. He had money and paid for the mistake. Let it serve for others to avoid costly mistakes.

[Sarah Hilton]

12:17 AM on 04/26/2011

We're not surprised Kobe is a trending topic! Kobe Bryant is on fire in this photo: http://picturizr.deviantart.com/art/Kobe-Bryant-206416518

[BurtonDesque]

06:20 AM on 04/18/2011

That's Kobe - class all the way.

[Tom Liberty]

10:16 AM on 04/17/2011

The unwillingness of professional sporting franchises to clean their own houses is mindblowing- nobody in any other field would get to keep their high paying job after behaving like this. On the other hand, i guess the coach got off lucky, at least Kobe didn't rape him.

[Mohamed Yassin]

11:22 AM on 04/16/2011

No debate here, dude got caught on national television using an ill-advised word towards a referee and got fined for it.

[beaunic]

12:53 PM on 04/15/2011

It is irrelevant if the referee is straight or gay ....It is only natural for the gay community to be sensitive about this, especially if the slur used is a reminder of the oppression and discrimination they have been subjected to for years ....Words are powerful weapon , especially if they are used by people in position of power ...Remember guys, this the same word that these gay children, who more than often kill themselves, hear over and over in high schools before committing suicide as an act of despair

[OnenessMedia]

06:31 PM on 04/14/2011

What if the Ref was acting like a F---- F---- ? Get Over it already ...Kobe , watch your mouth next time and stay classy ... We want that championship so stay focus on the game, Kobe

[LaughingMan]

06:20 PM on 04/15/2011

And what exactly does a F---- F----- act like?

[Bob Kellerman]

06:13 PM on 04/17/2011

Probably somewhat better than OnenessMedia acts

[Mischief Managed]

05:24 PM on 04/14/2011

NBA cares....

[benjamingrant85]

03:18 PM on 04/14/2011

Kobe Bryant acted stupidly.

-o

[kickinupdust]

03:04 PM on 04/14/2011

Was the ref a faygele?

[FlangeSqueal]

06:24 PM on 04/14/2011

No - just a Jew.

[masterdaddy0]

01:49 PM on 04/16/2011

Whoa, way to be an anti-semetic dick.

[masterdaddy0]

01:50 PM on 04/16/2011

F@CK You.

[Conor Dupre Neary]

02:29 PM on 04/14/2011

"This game ain't basketball anymore, it's entertainment. It's starting to get like the WWF. There ain't no real wrestling anymore either. It's all fake." -Rasheed Wallace

[lotus321]

02:48 PM on 04/14/2011

I think all sports have become reality tv. What do you think happens at  the owner's meeting? The script for the new season is written, given to the coaches and acted out by the players.  

[Phemale]

06:35 PM on 04/14/2011

Basketball, like all sports, have been about entertainment from day one.

[Phemale]

02:26 PM on 04/14/2011

So lets get this straight; ALL NBA players/coaches will be fined 100K for using the profanity, 'F you see K'?

It is impossible for Stern or anybody, to put themselves in Kobe's head and know what he meant by using the other, 'F' word.

He could've been referring to a bundle of sticks; What's wrong with that?

[Big Blaze]

02:11 PM on 04/15/2011

Kobe didn't get fined for using the F you see k word. He got fined for using the word you 'For For using the word you 'for got'.

[Phemale]

03:05 PM on 04/15/2011

Read my post again because you clearly didn't understand it.

The other F word has other meanings, such as, 'a bundle of sticks'.

Kobe could've easily argued the legalities surrounding the fine, due to the fat that Stern had no idea what definition that Kobe was referring to.

[LaughingMan]

06:23 PM on 04/15/2011

>>>>"He could've been referring to a bundle of sticks; What's wrong with that?"

That's a stretch.

But I applaud your effort regardless.

I don't think anybody who heard him has any doubts or ambiguity as to what he was referring to.

[Phemale]

09:33 PM on 04/15/2011

I am flattered that you have decided to follow me around

That said, I am speaking to the legalities regarding the NBA and Stern's actions.
David Stern adheres to strict legal guidelines when issuing these fines.

Kobe could've easily decided to go the legal route and fight this issue without admitting that his usage offended certain people.

Instead, he took responsibility and apologized. However, he is still going to appeal the fine.
That's because Stern doesn't issue these types of fines for the many other types of thrash talking that occurs in the game.
The only reason why this generated a 100k fine is because the media had their camera zoomed in on Kobe's face.

[Phemale]

01:47 PM on 04/14/2011

So did he get fined for yelling a profanity, or for yelling a profanity while calling somebody a cigarette?

I'd love to hear what the lawyers have to say.

[Elk Hunter 1]

10:51 PM on 04/14/2011

I think it's for yelling at the ref.

He should have gotten another tech for his little temper tantrum after the first one.

[Phemale]

11:22 PM on 04/14/2011

Every player who yells at the ref, and or throws a little temper tantrum, doesn't normally get fined 100k.

[LaughingMan]

06:24 PM on 04/15/2011

That particular F word is not used as a slang term for referring to cigarettes in this country.

Maybe over in England you might have had some credence with that argument but over here, you're just reaching.

And even you know it.

[Phemale]

09:44 PM on 04/15/2011

Yes that F word is used in that manner, sometimes in this country. This country also offers the constitutional right to use words in their original and historical definitions.

There are many European communities throughout this country.
In those communities, people still use various terminology that you may not agree with.

Now to get back to this particular story; Kobe has already apologized for his usage of the word.
It's time to get over it and move along.

What else do you want from him?

[johnny g locker]

01:24 PM on 04/14/2011

Did anyone bother to ask whether or not the referee was in fact a gay man? If so, Kobe was correct.

[Phemale]

01:48 PM on 04/14/2011

Or, what the problem is with calling somebody a cigarette...

[ensley92]

02:49 PM on 04/14/2011

Yeah, we got the joke the first time. Enough.

[OnenessMedia]

05:55 PM on 04/14/2011

lol F&F that's right, if he is a gay man the he shouldn't be offended. It's like calling a straight guy straight and he has to be all sensitive that you notice he was straight ... They should get over it ...

[beaunic]

12:35 PM on 04/15/2011

I get you attempt to be funny here... but maybe I hope your jokes have a bit of more common sense in the future ... First of all straight people would never be offended for being called straight since there is no such a thing as "Straight-phobia" . In this case it is natural for the targeted group ( gays ) to be sensitive, especially if the slur used is a reminder of the oppression they have been subjected too for years ....Words are powerful weapon , especially if they are used by people in position of power or powerfull people

[beerguy]

12:50 PM on 04/14/2011

Kobe should have been fined for cursing at the referee but 100K is excessive. I'd say commissioner Stern is practicing political correctness with the amount of the fine

[Jason N]

01:59 PM on 04/14/2011

The large fine was in lieu of a suspension. Nobody in the NBA (outside of opposing teams lol), including officials for the league (not refs), the Lakers, or Kobe, want him suspended for the playoffs. If you think that's excessive, look into how much they've fined Mark Cuban for bad mouthing referees.

[lotus321]

02:33 PM on 04/14/2011

The word "fu^&ing is not really a curse word in the black community. It serves multiple purpose as a adjective and a verb

[ReggieN]

03:09 PM on 04/14/2011

You are not honestly speaking for the black community are you? Cause I missed that memo.

[OnenessMedia]

05:58 PM on 04/14/2011

I hope you were trying to be funny ....but Sorry I am black and in the black community, I never heard of such thing ... Where you get that info. Grow a brain or two