“Uncalled for”: King hits out at Goorjian, veteran coach fires back

Josh King has taken aim at Brian Goorjian, calling out the veteran coach over what he described as “uncalled for” comments directed at Owen Foxwell.

Goorjian’s strong words were picked up on a microphone during the second quarter between the Sydney Kings and South East Melbourne Phoenix, resulting in a technical foul.

It came after close checking from the Phoenix young gun on Kendric Davis, with a tense on-court battle between the pair spilling over into scuffles involving Davis and Nathan Sobey that resulted in technical fouls.

“It’s very disappointing … a guy (Goorjian) that everybody looks up to in this league,” King said post-game.

“I’m not trying to make headlines, but coach Goorjian telling one of our players ‘f you’ three times in a row is just uncalled for.

“It’s really surprising for a guy that’s done everything he’s done in his career to think it’s OK to tell an opposing player ‘f you’ three times … that’s very disappointing and it’s not right.”

Speaking post-game, Goorjian said his reaction came off the back of comments directed at him by the Phoenix star.

“If something’s said to you, I’m going to say something back,” he said.

“If they want to give me a technical, they can give me a technical, but he tells me what he said, I’m coming right back at him.

“I don’t just go at a player. I went there and he said something and I went right back at him.

“I’m not going to go down what I said, but I know what he said to me and I’m not going to repeat it, and I went right back in his face. I’ve been in it 40 years, I don’t just start calling guys names.

“He’s over by the bench and he’s telling me what to do in my space … my job is to protect my team … if he wants to go there he’s going to get a mouthful back.”

King conceded Foxwell may have said something to instigate the veteran coach’s outburst, but said he hadn’t heard it via the microphones on the broadcast.

“As much as I don’t like wearing the microphone during the game, I’m glad they picked that up, because that’s uncalled for, completely uncalled for. If you think that’s called for, shame on you,” he continued.

“Unless there’s another microphone somewhere else, and if there is, I apologise. I didn’t see what Foxy said and if he said something, OK, he shouldn’t be talking to the coach.

“But for a guy (Goorjian) with that much experience to tell an opposing player ‘f you’ three times … somebody I look up to. I love coaching, I hope I’m doing what he’s doing at 72 at a high level, but that’s uncalled for.

“I have a lot of respect for him and most people do, but that’s really disappointing.

“Maybe I’m just overreacting because we lost … if you want to have a joke with an opposing player, we all have relationships, we know guys on the other team, that’s OK. Three ‘f you’s’ and it’s to Owen Foxwell, a guy who’s a Boomer and he’s one of the best young Australian players.

“Foxy’s a kid and this guy’s won more games than anybody in Australia … I always think we should be the adults.”