With four minutes and 35 seconds left in the third quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 110-97 victory over the New York Knicks on Sunday, Luka Dončić — upset over what he considered a missed call — made a gesture with his hands that indicated the referees were receiving money for slanted officiating.
The NBA didn’t take too kindly to the implication, announcing Tuesday that Dončić would be fined $50,000 for the “unprofessional gesture.”
Where will that $50,000 go? Thanks in large part to the National Basketball Players’ Association, Dončić’s check will ultimately be put to good use thanks to the “Fined and Philanthropic” program, a union initiative that turns players’ fines into matching grants for charitable causes.
While the program has been in place since 2015, it has kicked into high gear over the last two years because of the arrival of Erika Swilley, executive director of the union’s foundation. After nearly
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