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Donaghy's book claims foul on Raja Bell vs. Kobe Bryant
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Raja Bell defending Kobe Bryant (AP Photo: Mark J. Terrill)
Charlotte Bobcats' shooting guard Raja Bell has been in the news recently with a torn ligament in his wrist, hoping to avoid surgery and get back on the court by as early as Monday -- but Bell was placed in the news with more disturbing information from former NBA referee Tim Donaghy.
In his book, Blowing the Whistle, Donaghy makes claims to NBA referees gambling on the sport and giving star treatment to certain players.
Reportedly, Bell was constantly seen at the wrong end of calls when playing for the Phoenix Suns and being matched up against Kobe Bryant -- one of the NBA's brightest stars. After all, why would a NBA fan want to see well-executed defense when they can see Bryant and others shoot 25 free throws per game?
Here is an excerpt from Donaghy's book, posted on deadspin.com, that brings Bell into the wrong end of the dirty world of NBA officiating.
Relationships between NBA players and referees were generally all over the board — love, hate, and everything in-between. Some players, even very good ones, were targeted by referees and the league because they were too talented for their own good. Raja Bell, formerly of the Phoenix Suns and now a member of the Charlotte Bobcats, was one of those players. A defensive specialist throughout his career, Bell had a reputation for being a "star stopper." His defensive skills were so razor sharp that he could shut down a superstar, or at least make him work for his points. Kobe Bryant was often frustrated by Bell's tenacity on defense. Let's face it, no one completely shuts down a player of Kobe's caliber, but Bell could frustrate Kobe, take him out of his game, and interrupt his rhythm.
You would think that the NBA would love a guy who plays such great defense. Think again! Star stoppers hurt the promotion of marquee players. Fans don't pay high prices to see players like Raja Bell — they pay to see superstars like Kobe Bryant score 40 points. Basketball purists like to see good defense, but the NBA wants the big names to score big points.
If a player of Kobe's stature collides with the likes of Raja Bell, the call will almost always go for Kobe and against Bell. As part of our ongoing training and game preparation, NBA referees regularly receive game-action video tape from the league office. Over the years, I have reviewed many recorded hours of video involving Raja Bell. The footage I analyzed usually illustrated fouls being called against Bell, rarely for him. The message was subtle but clear — call fouls against the star stopper because he's hurting the game.
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