Former NBA Ref Rips Into Former Suns Star Chris Paul

PHOENIX -- If you follow the NBA - or Chris Paul - or the Phoenix Suns - you've likely heard of the many disputes and incidents between NBA official Scott Foster and Paul.

It's a relationship that's grown nothing short of toxic between Paul-Foster and dates back years in the past. In terms of notable player-referee relationships/interactions/whatever you want to call them, Paul's beef with Foster takes the cake, and whoever is in second place probably isn't close.

The Athletic recently did an extraordinary deep dive into Foster and the reputation he has with players, speaking with Foster and many around him to try and decode his persona as an NBA official.

There's plenty of detail that went into the Paul-Foster relationship, which included a secret meeting involving the two on top of Foster sharing his side of the story mirrored with public comments made by Paul throughout the years.

For what it's worth, Paul is a tough cookie on the court. He's not afraid to be vocal towards officials, which has landed him in some trouble through his various stops in the league.

Former NBA official Bill Spooner had some choice words for Paul, who he alleged was curating a "calculated" campaign against Foster:

“I’m going to tell you, and I know you are recording me, but I get asked all the time: ‘Who are some of the tough guys, some of the bad guys?’ And when I tell them that Chris Paul, in my 32 years in the league, was one of the biggest a–holes I ever dealt with, they say, ‘Not Rasheed Wallace … or da-da-da?’ Nope. Nothing like (Paul), and they are like, ‘Oh, he seems like such a nice guy.’ And I say, ‘Yeah, he’s a great image cultivator.'”
Bill Spooner on Chris Paul

Certainly no love lost on either side of the feud, and there doesn't appear to be an end in sight.