BA Integrity Unit probing Justin Tatum's spray

• Illawarra blows 10-point fourth quarter lead to lose Game 3
• Tatum said NBL "put the right people on there to take care of who they need to take care of."
• Melbourne United leads the five-game series 2-1.
• Basketball Australia is investigating the accusations

NBL25 Coach of the Year Justin Tatum has launched a stunning — extraordinary — broadside at the NBL, accusing league of bias against the Illawarra Hawks after losing Game 3 of the Championship Series at home 83-77 to Melbourne United on Sunday, March 6, 2025.

It has sparked an investigation by Basketball Australia, AAP is reporting. A spokesperson told AAP that Basketball Australia's Risk and Integrity Unit would look into the comments, with BA responsible for investigating post-match incidents rather than the NBL.

Monotone Tatum was asked about the impact knee injury to NBL First Team guard Trey Kell III in the fourth quarter that left the star laying in the paint while United's Matthew Dellavedova took the ball up the floor and was fouled in the act of a crafty transition three.

"It's not to be disrespected, but, you know, our players are not, you know, just it's blatantly obvious, it's blatantly obvious," Tatum said.

"You know everything gets stopped for one player in one team (Dellavedova), you know a guy shoots three free throws while somebody's limping off and my (team) is trying to make sure they're okay, so nobody stops, so I mean at the end day we we got to find a way through."

"I don't think it was impact, he slipped similar like what Delly did where they stopped the whole game and almost had a holiday to make sure he was okay.

"But, unfortunately, when Trey Kell and somebody on my team gets hurt, you know, we can't look out after them or we can't make sure they off the court.

"But at the end day that's just a difference of respect, I guess, you know, between Melbourne and the Hawks, so, uh, the NBL did a good job, of you know, making sure they put the right people on there to take care of who they need to take care of.

Dellavedova slipped earlier in the game with Melbourne on offense and the officials stopped immediately to wipe sweat off the floor.

"(Kell's) knee, I mean we the only person that cares, so yeah I mean, we wanted to make sure he was okay off the court before other teams attempt free throws or do anything else so we just want to make sure our players was okay," Tatum said.

"You know everything gets stopped for one player in one team, you know a guy shoots three free throws while somebody's limping off and my (team) is trying to make sure they're okay, so nobody stops, so I mean at the end day we we got to find a way through."

Tatum was pressed on whether he would make a complaint to the NBL ahead of Wednesday's Game 4 at John Cain Arena in Melbourne.

"Who cares, they won't, I mean talking to them is irrelevant, who cares," Tatum declared.

"I mean I can send in all, all the whatever I need to send in, it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter, we just got to play through, whatever, whoever they send to officiate the game, whoever they send to commentate the game, we don't care, we just care about the Hawks that's it."

The NBL has not released a statement or responded to Tatum's post game press conference comments.

It's not the first time Tatum has tangled with the referees. The NBL also investigated Tatum for a mid-game comment that suggested referee Vaughan Mayberry was biased against his "kind" in the semi-final series against the South East Melbourne Phoenix.

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"It was a tough for fourth quarter, take my hat off to Melbourne play great defense found a way to win.

On Illawarra being up by 10 points in the fourth and taking four threes in a row to try to kill the game.

"Well, we probably tried it was just unfortunate, they forced us out and made us take tough shots I'm sure that we'll look at it and go off.

"We could have applied more pressure in certain areas um Melbourne stuck with it they were the grittiest team tonight."

On the status of Trey Kell's knee.

"His knee, I mean we the only person that cares, so yeah I mean, we wanted to make sure he was okay off the court before other teams attempt free throws or do anything else so we just want to make sure our players was okay."

On United physicality.

"Same what they've been playing all year, they will get away what they can get away with and, you know, at the end of the day, they they just play basketball, they figure it out.

"They played the same way the first quarter through the fourth, just certain people decide not to look away, what what they can can't get away with, so you know, it's just we got to fight through it and you know we just see we'd be better at Melbourne.

On how Kell injured himself and the difference between Kell and Dellavedova slipping.

"I don't think it was impact, he slipped similar like what Delly did where they stopped the whole game and almost had a holiday to make sure he was okay but unfortunately when Trey Kell's and somebody on my team get hurt you know we can't look out after them or we can't make sure they off the court. But at the end day that's just a difference of respect, I guess, you know, between Melbourne and the Hawk, so, uh, the NBL did a good job, of you know, making sure they put the right people on there to take care of who they need to take care of.

On the feeling of being disrespected.

"No, I feel that we just need to find a way to win the game you know, it's not to be disrespected, but, you know, our players are not, you know, just it's blatantly obvious, it's blatantly obvious. You know everything gets stopped for one player in one team, you know a guy shoots three free throws while somebody's limping off and my (team) is trying to make sure they're okay, so nobody stops ,so I mean at the end day we we got to find a way through."

On the potential of not having Kell in Game 4.

"No we've done it before, we played our last couple games and couple games during the season and won without him, hopefully we don't have to, you know that if hope everything comes back positive and he feels comfortable enough to play, we'll put him out there but if not next man."

On getting more touches for centre Sam Froling.

"They did a good job of crowding the space and making Sam take some difficult shots and you know, unfortunately, we just shot one free throw in 20 minutes and unfortunately, we only shot eight and 40, so we just got to do better find a way to get roll the ball in, he got to find a way to be more productive when his opportunity comes.

On United's attempt to get the ball out of Tyler Harvey's hands.

"It can be, but the other guys know that you know don't play into their strength, you know, don't play into what their game plan is if the shot is available for you take it but you know, flow into something else to get somebody else open.

On making a statement to the NBL.

"Who cares, they won't, I mean talking to them is irrelevant, who cares, I mean I can send in all, all the whatever I need to send in, it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter, we just got to play through, whatever, whoever they sends to officiate the game, whoever they send to commentate the game, we don't care, we just care about the Hawks that's it.

What he said to his players after the loss.

"It's a five game series. We we play Wednesday, season not over we play Wednesday. We got them at their place, uh just like they got as our place twice, so the first person who wins at home wins a series right, so see you in Melbourne.

On the Hawks' state of mind

"They're not happy right now because we let one go at home but we're competitors, we'll find a way to bounce back.

On trying to overcome history.

"Oh, I'm me, this is my first full year in the NBL, second year, and  first full year as a coach second year so I have no idea, you know, I'm just trying to get this one done."

Fourth quarter woes.

"I hope so, I mean the thing is just we just got to make sure the ball goes in more without us and uh be more consistent on the offensive end set solid screens hopefully shoot more than eight free throws in 40 minutes you know and we'll figure it out."