Professional basketball player Alperen Sengün of the Houston Rockets has publicly apologized after a sexist comment to NBA referee Jenna Reneau. The Turkish center was sent off in the fourth quarter of the defeat against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday after he repeatedly insulted the referee.
Reneau is in her first season as an NBA referee. Sengün had previously been annoyed about what he saw as a lack of a foul whistle when he went to the basket. The situation escalated, whereupon the referee sent the 23-year-old off with a technical foul.
“That was immature of me“, said the 23-year-old afterwards. “It was just that moment. I said things I shouldn’t have said and I felt bad about it.“
Sengün: “I apologized”
The incident happened on “National Girls and Women in Sports Day”, a day of action to promote girls and women in sports. The Rockets published a message from NBA star Kevin Durant to mark the occasion.
According to his own statements, Sengün sought a conversation with Reneau that same evening. “I went into the dressing room and apologized. I shook her hand and said it would never happen again“, he explained. The situation was “in the heat of battle” developed. “She got it, and it was good for both parties.“
Sengün made the comments on Saturday after the 112:106 win against the Oklahoma City Thunder, in which he contributed with a triple-double of 17 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists.
Zum Match-Center: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets
