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"We would bet $20 or $50 in the locker room" - Tim Donaghy admits NBA referees gambled on Rasheed Wallace's first tech
Donaghy’s story shows how much a player’s reputation can shape referee behavior.
When former NBA swingman Jim Jackson welcomed ex-referee Tim Donaghy to his podcast, the conversation quickly took a sharp turn. They ended up diving into a topic few fans ever hear about.
Jackson opened by asking about what referees discussed in the locker room before games — whether they’d coordinate what to call, who to give the benefit of the doubt, or who to really ride hard.
Donaghy didn’t shy away from giving listeners a glimpse into it all. He, for instance, shared how officials used to handle Rasheed Wallace, including the locker room bets they made.
Locker room bets
Most players usually hyping each other up in the locker room. Some are going over last-minute game plans. The referees’ room ran a little differently back then, Donaghy said.That said, he remembered those pregame meetings where referees quietly discussed how to handle certain players.
Some, like Jackson, barely came up. Donaghy described the former 6'6" NBA player as good-natured and easy to deal with.
Others, like Wallace, were another story. Why? Because, as Donaghy put it, many referees just couldn’t stand the four-time All-Star. That reputation followed Wallace onto the court. It often dictated how officials called the game when he was on the field.
That’s somewhat understandable, right?
What really stood out, though, was something else — Donaghy admitting that refs sometimes made small, informal bets.
Often at the center of those bets? The 2004 NBA champion with the Detroit Pistons.
We used to bet $20 or $50 in the locker room to see who would give him (Wallace) the first technical foul,” Donaghy said.
Why Wallace is also to blame
Sure, it’s easy to call that kind of behavior unprofessional. Truthfully, it was. After all, referees are supposed to be neutral. Betting on things like that doesn’t exactly fit the job description.Still, total impartiality is more ideal than reality. Referees are human. They have opinions, grudges and bad days like anyone else.
And when you think about how volatile Wallace could be, that human side really comes into focus. That makes even more sense when you think about the sentiment that the former Piston might’ve been the most volatile player ever to step onto an NBA court.
A reputation like that? Well, it never earns much sympathy from officials. Wallace definitely didn’t get any from Donaghy.
Both had a rather tense history. One incident that highlighted this happened during a Portland Trail Blazers–Memphis Grizzlies matchup.
Wallace picked up a technical for tossing the ball after a call he didn’t like. Later, he confronted Donaghy, who was part of that night’s referee crew, in the parking lot. Sheed was still furious. Luckily, security and teammate Brevin Knight stepped in before things got ugly.
It was another moment that made staying neutral nearly impossible. It probably influenced Donaghy’s view when he told Jackson that “personalities with referees and players conflicting had a lot to do with how the whistle was blown out on the floor.”
Ultimately, Wallace still holds the single-season record for technical fouls. In 2000–01, he picked up 41 over 80 games. His 317 career techs rank third all-time. And after hearing Donaghy’s story, you can’t help but wonder which referees might’ve profited the most from those.
