NBA official reveals reason for Jason Kidd's ejection in Mavericks-Bulls

Jason Kidd's ejection against the Bulls on Saturday evening seemed to be a quick one, but Scott Foster backed it up.

Jan 3, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd looks on during the first quarter against the Houston Rockets at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks were blown out in Saturday's game against the Chicago Bulls, 125-107, and that score doesn't accurately reflect how out of hand the game became in the fourth quarter. The most interesting thing happened in the first quarter, when Jason Kidd was ejected after he tried to challenge a goaltending call.

Coach Kidd often hides his emotions on the sidelines, so it was a little surprising to see him get ejected just six minutes into the game. After the game, head official Scott Foster had a report with the NBA where he talked about the ejection.

QUESTION: Just curious about the Jason Kidd ejection. What happened in the play preceding that ejection?

FOSTER: A goaltend was called during live play.

QUESTION: And it seemed as though the Mavericks were trying to decide whether they wanted to challenge that. There was a timeout granted after the Mavericks inbounded the ball, is that correct?

FOSTER: A whistle occurred after the Mavericks had inbounded the ball, correct.

QUESTION: Did they attempt to challenge that goaltending call?

FOSTER: They did.

QUESTION: And why were they not allowed to?

FOSTER: The window closes for replay challenge once the thrower-in is given the ball.

QUESTION: So, to be clear, they were granted the timeout but not allowed to make the challenge?

FOSTER: That’s correct.

QUESTION: And what did Jason Kidd say to earn the ejection?

FOSTER: He used profanity toward an official on two separate occasions and was given a technical foul for each occasion.

Clown Scott Foster tosses JKidd after screwing the Mavs out of a timeout/challenge situation pic.twitter.com/HA2XhjGDOm

— MavsHighlights (@MavsHighlights) January 11, 2026

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Could Jason Kidd's Ejection Lead to an NBA Rule Change?

It was hard to tell if Jason Kidd was asking for the challenge before the ball was inbounded or not, but it shouldn't be difficult to make sure this never happens again. We've seen it be difficult for coaches to try and get the attention of officials while a play is happening, so what are some ways the NBA can avoid this kind of thing in the future?

The simplest way would be a button, whether it's attached to the scorer's table or one that the coach keeps with them, that can alert officials when they're trying to call a timeout or challenge a play. Because if Kidd had been able to challenge this call, it would've been overturned. Max Christie just got to the ball before it hit the glass. It wouldn't have changed anything for the outcome of the game, but it was still the wrong call.

READ MORE: 3 overreactions as Mavericks are blown out by Chicago Bulls

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