Grayson Allen shoves FSU assistant after chasing loose ball
Duke guard Grayson Allen shoved a Florida State assistant coach as he was falling into the bench chasing a loose ball during Duke's 88–72 loss to the Seminoles on Tuesday.
The game was Allen's third since serving a one-game suspension for tripping an opponent. But the Florida State assistant, Dennis Gates, told ESPN that the incident was "not a dirty play" and defended Allen on Twitter.
Late in the game with Florida State leading by 14, Allen was chasing a loose ball near the Florida State bench and saved the ball before it went out of bounds. As he was in mid-air and about to fall into the Florida State bench, Allen shoved Gates with two hands.
Both Allen and Gates fell to the floor. Allen left the game minutes later with a head injury and did not return, finishing with nine points, five assists and three rebounds.
Gates issued a statement in response to the incident on Twitter, saying he did not "in any way feel attacked nor disrespected as the media and others are portraying Grayson Allen's character and hustle." He tweeted the statement with a hashtag reading "give Grayson a break."
"I clearly need to do a better job of moving out of the way like my coworkers," Gates wrote. "I clearly did not make the correct decision. I misread Grayson Allen's speed the same way you all are misreading the clip."
Duke interim head coach Jeff Capel said Allen did not appear to be affected by Florida State's crowd.
"I don't think what other people say, chant or do wears on him that much," Capel said. "The kid has been through a lot—he brought a lot of it on himself, but some of the things that have happened are just crazy."
- Scooby Axson
