( CNN ) NBA star Chris Paul has been called for many technical fouls through the years . His latest is drawing perhaps the most notice , and his criticism of the female referee who called it has drawn a $ 25,000 fine from the league . The conversation around the technical has centered on what Paul said about rookie referee Lauren Holtkamp , one of two female officials in the NBA . The NBA said Paul was being fined for `` public criticism of officiating . '' The league 's statement announcing the fine did n't mention the official 's gender . Paul said her call during a Los Angeles Clippers loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers was `` ridiculous '' and `` terrible . '' `` We try to get the ball out fast every time down the court , and when we did that , she said , 'Uh-uh . ' I said , 'Why , uh-uh ? ' And she gave me a tech , '' the Clippers point guard told reporters after the game Thursday . `` That 's ridiculous . If that 's the case , this might not be for her . '' Critics focused on the last sentence , accusing the nine-year veteran of sexism . `` We deplore the unprofessional comments made by Chris Paul . She belongs , '' the National Basketball Referees Association said in a written statement . Other people , including San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon , defended Paul . `` I do n't think it had anything to do with the ref 's gender , '' she tweeted . And the director of the National Basketball Association Players Association , Michele Roberts , also denied it was a gender-based comment . `` Any suggestion that Chris Paul would ever conduct himself in a disrespectful manner towards women is utterly ridiculous , outrageous and patently false , '' she said , according to media reports . Before a game Friday , Paul was asked several times about the comment . Each time he said : `` Last night was about a bad call . '' Paul , who is the players ' union president , was fined $ 15,000 in 2011 when he was with the then-New Orleans Hornets for verbally abusing a referee . According to ESPN 's NBA statistics , Paul has been called for 79 technical fouls in his career . Violet Palmer is the other female referee and has worked NBA games since 1997 . Dee Kantner worked NBA games for five years and is now the WNBA supervisor of officials . CNN 's Jason Durand and Wayne Sterling contributed to this report .
Chris Paul said a rookie referee made a bad call , so working in the NBA `` might not be for her . '' Critics called him sexist while supporters said he was just complaining about what he thought was a bad call . Paul has been fined once before -- $ 15,000 in 2011 .