“Once you go to someone’s players and you talk like that about their coach to a player, I’ve never seen that before,” said Wade, who is Black. “I couldn’t imagine that happening on any other platform where a referee would say that to a player about their coach. I think it’s divisive as well. My players see me as their coach. They look to me for counseling and look to me for advice and for direction. I’m directing their ball club. I’m not their ‘boy.’”
