Chris Paul insists comments regarding rookie official were 'about a bad call'

Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul was evasive when asked to elaborate upon his criticism of rookie female referee Lauren Holtkamp.

"Last night was about a bad call," Paul told reporters three times prior to tipoff against the Toronto Raptors on Friday.

Paul said a lot more about Holtkamp's officiating Thursday, following the Clippers' lopsided loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Paul took exception to the Clippers being slapped with five technical fouls and singled out Holtkamp in particular.

"The tech I got was ridiculous," Paul said after the game. "That's terrible. There's no way that can be a technical. We try to get the ball out fast every time down the court. When we did that, she said, 'Uh-uh.' I said, 'Why uh-uh?' and she gave me a technical. That's ridiculous. If that's the case, this might not be for her."

Paul's scathing comments drew criticism from the National Basketball Referees Association, who firmly backed up Holtkamp's calls. "We deplore the unprofessional comments made by Chris Paul," they added.

Holtkamp is one of two female referees in the NBA and some construed Paul's comments as attacks on her gender. Based on Paul's careful statement Friday, he appears to refute that claim. 

NBPA executive director Michele Roberts also commented on the situation, as relayed by ESPN.

Any suggestion that Chris Paul would ever conduct himself in a disrespectful manner towards women is utterly ridiculous, outrageous and patently false. His personal management team, which includes several accomplished women who play a major role in virtually all of his business affairs, is, alone, evidence of that fact.