Tim Legler says the NBA has never once pushed back on him for criticizing officiating during a broadcast.

Legler was a guest on last week’s edition of the Awful Announcing Podcast and was asked directly whether he’s ever heard from the league after criticizing an official or a call.

“No, not once,” he told host Brandon Contes. “They allowed us to have these conversations.”

Jeff Van Gundy’s exit from ESPN prompted a similar question back in 2023, when Chris Russo suggested that commissioner Adam Silver had pushed for Van Gundy’s removal over his blunt criticism of officiating. Silver offered a strong denial, saying the league has no input on ESPN’s talent decisions. Van Gundy and Mark Jackson were both let go that summer without much further explanation, aside from reports suggesting the network believed both had coaching aspirations that would eventually pull them from the booth anyway. Legler now occupies a similar seat in the same booth, and by his account, nobody from the league has ever had a problem with what he says.

He chalked that up to the credibility he and Richard Jefferson bring as former players, and to a tone he believes keeps the criticism constructive rather than combative.

“We’re respectful of the process. We’re respectful of the officials,” Legler said. “So at times, yeah, you’re going to comment on a no-call or the physicality overall in a game… I think we addressed it in a respectful way, and we’re on there to do that — but to respect the game, respect the participants — and we both feel that way. I think we were able to pull that off.”

The conversation turned to Victor Wembanyama, who entered the closing stretch of the Finals one flagrant foul away from a suspension, with several plays that plausibly could have been ruled flagrant going uncalled. Legler was asked whether the league appeared to be protecting Wembanyama from a suspension during a Finals run. He didn’t see it that way.

“Whichever of the two fan bases is the one that they feel is getting the short end of the stick, they’re going to feel like that’s the case,” Legler said. “Obviously, no one wants these top guys to not be out there on the biggest stage of the year.”

He pointed to a specific closeout play in which Jalen Brunson landed on Wembanyama during a three-point attempt as the moment that, in a different series outcome, could plausibly have been deemed a flagrant foul retroactively — which would have kept Wembanyama out of a potential Game 6 had San Antonio forced one.

“I don’t think they were going out of their way to protect him,” Legler said. “I think they missed one, and we disagreed, and we will continue to disagree.”

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