TRENDING NFL trade deadline winners and losers NFL trade deadline tracker Colts keep Taylor Vikings trade for Cousins Celtics better minus Brown? Story by Jason Owens Staff writer Wed, November 11, 2026 at 1:00 AM UTC · 2 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Keldon Johnson got away with shenanigans in real time. But the NBA's not letting him off the hook.
The NBA announced Tuesday that it's issued a postgame Flagrant Foul 1 to the San Antonio Spurs guard for an infraction during Monday's blowout win over the Phoenix Suns.
The infraction? He kicked Devin Booker in the groin, very clearly so. Booker went down to the court in obvious pain. But game officials chose to move along as if nothing happened.
Here's the incriminating video the Suns were happy to post on their social media Tuesday.
That isn't subtle. Referee Natalie Sago was standing with a clear view of the infraction, and nothing was called on the floor. So play ensued as Booker writhed in pain on the court until the Suns were forced to call a timeout.
But there was a chance to rectify the situation from there. Per the NBA rulebook , coaches aren't permitted to challenge a non-call. Suns coach Jordan Ott had no recourse to initiate a replay review.
But game officials do. Under the "Altercation" heading in the NBA rulebook , officials may initiate a replay review absent a foul called on the floor when:
A player, coach, trainer or other bench person commits a hostile act against another player, referee, coach, trainer, bench person or spectator
This is generally applied when there's a two-way altercation. If Booker had kicked Johnson in the groin in response, they would have almost certainly gone to the tape to issue Johnson his deserved flagrant foul that really warranted Flagrant 2 with an ejection.
But the language clearly gives officials leeway to go to the monitor when a player "commits a hostile act against another player." A groin kick is the definition of a hostile act. NBA referees are more than happy to stop play to go to the monitor for lesser infractions.
The only solace here is that the game was a blowout. The Spurs held a 15-point lead at the time in a game they won, 122-96. A properly called flagrant foul wasn't likely to shift the outcome of the game.
But that's likely of little comfort to Booker. Game officials need to do better.
Source: Sports
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