Bulls’ Kevin Huerter ejected for tapping ball that hits referee Che Flores in the back

CHICAGO (AP) – Kevin Huerter was ejected from the Chicago Bulls’ 143-107 home loss to Miami on Friday night after a ball he tapped away in frustration because of a foul call bounced off the back of referee Che Flores’ leg.

Flores, the NBA’s first out nonbinary and transgender referee, was facing the scoring table signaling the foul when they were struck by the ball on the back of their right leg. Veteran referee Tony Brothers immediately whistled a technical foul against Huerter, who held out both hands and had a look of disbelief when he realized he had been ejected.

“I was frustrated at the call, but again, I apologize if that was too much. Obviously it was,” Huerter told reporters after the game. “I was not meaning to throw the ball at the official.”

The Bulls were down 78-57 with 8:18 left in the third quarter when Huerter was called for a foul when defending a shot by Pelle Larsson when both players were in the air. The ball then bounced once on the floor near the free-throw line before Huerter waved his right arm and tapped the ball, which went toward Flores, who was near the sideline closer to midcourt.

Bulls coach Billy Donovan then had a conversation with Brothers, who stuck with the technical foul and ejection after a replay review. Donovan indicated after the game that Brothers felt Huerter intended to knock the ball toward Flores.