Even NBA players can't agree on whether the UCLA goaltending call was correct
The 2015 NCAA tournament might already have its most controversial moment: a goaltending call that gave Bryce Alford of 11th-seeded UCLA the game-winning 3-pointer versus No. 6 SMU.
Was it the correct call, though? SportsNation can't come to a consensus (conspicuously, opinions seem to be geographically divided) -- and neither can NBA players.
Reigning NBA MVP Kevin Durant (no ties to UCLA) agreed with the call:
Yep that was a goaltend.
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) March 19, 2015But injured Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid (no ties to SMU) did not:
March Madness=3=3=3=3 it was an air ball though
— Joel-Hans Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) March 19, 2015Milwaukee Bucks big man John Henson (also no ties to UCLA) is in the "right call" camp:
Definitely goal tending .
— John Henson (@_John_Henson_) March 19, 2015But helllll of a call by the ref man! Sheesh...#HeGotItRight
— John Henson (@_John_Henson_) March 19, 2015Chicago Bulls guard Aaron Brooks (no UCLA ties, but a West Coaster) seems to think the referee got it correct:
Goaltending for the win.... Sheesh...
— Aaron Brooks (@Thirty2zero) March 19, 2015Former Detroit Pistons guard Kim English (no UCLA ties) broke it down thusly:
Wasn't going in. But it is def a goal tend. The goal tend effected how the rebound would have came off. Unfortunate, but good call.
— Kim English (@Englishscope24) March 19, 2015NBA D-Leaguer C.J. Fair (who played for Syracuse in last season's NCAA tournament and was an Indiana Pacer this preseason) agreed with Embiid's take:
That was an airball =1
— CJ Fair (@cjfair) March 19, 2015Meanwhile, San Antonio Spurs forward Kyle Anderson (very definite UCLA ties, having played two years there) was around to clean up the discussion. (Note: @Spooooooon11 is Wesley Witherspoon, a former Memphis Tiger who played in the D-League.)
Yessur cant do that RT @KDTrey5: Yep that was a goaltend.
— SLOWMO (@KyleAnderson5) March 19, 2015No sir RT @cjfair: That was an airball =1
— SLOWMO (@KyleAnderson5) March 19, 2015Lol RT @Spooooooon11: KYLE A FOOL
— SLOWMO (@KyleAnderson5) March 19, 2015Tickets To SportsNation
If you're in the L.A. area, we want you to be a part of our live studio audience!
Comments
Use a Facebook account to add a comment, subject to Facebook's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your Facebook name, photo & other personal information you make public on Facebook will appear with your comment, and may be used on ESPN's media platforms. Learn more.