Hunter Dickinson was allowed to stay on the Kansas bench for more than two minutes after getting ejected during Tuesday’s college basketball game in Las Vegas. The fifth-year senior tried to pull a fast one.
Fortunately, the officials eventually noticed his presence and promptly escorted him out of the gym.
Dickinson, who has a history of poor behavior, picked up a Flagrant 2 foul during the second half against Duke. He kicked Blue Devils forward Maliq Brown in the head after a physical battle for a rebound took them both to the ground. Jayhawks head coach Bill Self believes it was the right call, but questioned whether it was a Flagrant 1 or a Flagrant 2. The latter results in an ejection, the former does not.
Hunter Dickinson was ejected after being assessed a flagrant 2 foul for kicking Maliq Brown. pic.twitter.com/lXR91RTiWX
— ESPN (@espn) November 27, 2024
Any player who is removed from the contest must immediately exit the premises. He may not sit in the crowd or observe from the corner of the gym. He is required to return to the locker room.
In addition to being disqualified, an individual who is ejected shall leave the playing court and floor area and report to his team’s locker room until the game is over.
— NCAA Rulebook
Dickinson did not adhere to the rules and remained on the bench for more than three minutes.
The officials ultimately discovered his existence during the next stoppage in play. They told him to move along and he did.
Did Kansas deserve to forfeit because of Hunter Dickinson?
Although this loitering may not seem like a big deal, it is yet another example of Hunter Dickinson thinking he is above the rules. In the past, his decision to remain in the gym would’ve resulted in a forfeit. Here is how the rule was written as of 2014: “Any player ejected from the game must leave the facility (out of sight and sound) within two minutes or the game is forfeited.”
That specific caveat may no longer exist in the rulebook, but there is an argument to be made that Dickinson violated the rules on fighting. He was assessed a Flagrant 2 for kicking Brown.
Fighting is defined in the rulebook as: “a confrontation involving one or more players, coaches or other team personnel wherein (but not limited to) a fist, hand, arm, foot, knee or leg is used to combatively strike the other individual.” Any player who is charged with a foul for fighting must leave the court. If a said player(s) do/does not leave the court, “the referee may declare a forfeit when any individual fails to comply with any part of the penalties of this rule.”
The Jayhawks ultimately won the game by three. Should the win count? That is up for debate— but it will. Kansas defeated Duke even though there is a case to be made that a forfeit was in order.