Two nights ago, the Boston Celtics handed a beating to the Rockets, winning 114-93. But what more people are talking about rather than the result, is Alperen Sengun getting ejected in the 4th quarter. Why? Because the Rockets’ star said some rather unkind words to a female referee.
Advertisement
With six minutes left, Sengun went up for a shot on Luka Garza. He did make some contact, and Sengun lost the ball, which then went out of bounds. No foul was called and the ref, Jenna Reneau, awarded the Celtics the possession.
The Turkish baller was not happy about that. Audio of him uttering “You a b***h” could be heard. The ref immediately called for a tech, and moments later, Sengun was gone.
That wasn’t all, either. Moments later, he repeated “f***ing b***h” as he ran to the other end of the court unaware that he was tossed. His teammates tried to argue on his behalf, but Reneau screamed at Amen Thompson “he can’t call me that.” Sengun tried to play dumb, insisting that didn’t say anything. It did not help his case.
What Alperen Sengun really said to a female referee
Sengun: “He’s up on me.. you a b*tch! F*cking b*tch”
As he was getting ejected, Sengun called her a b*tch for a third time
(Via @legendz_prod)pic.twitter.com/bX3sO0oWHN
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) February 6, 2026
As if that was not enough, Sengun cursed at the referee once more as he headed back to the locker room. It was basically Houston’s night in a nutshell. They were non-competitive. Sengun finished with just 13 points, and Rockets fans likely turned the game off with plenty of time still left.
But Sengun could not have chosen a worse moment for the incident. The Rockets franchise was celebrating National Girls and Women in Sports Day, so for something like this to happen involving a 23-year-old cornerstone player is a nightmare for the optics and the PR team.
In the bigger picture, this is the kind of moment that can stick to a player’s reputation if it is not handled the right way afterward. Sengun is young, emotional, and ultra-competitive, but that does not excuse crossing a line with officials, especially in a league that has been pushing respect and inclusion so heavily.
The smartest move now would be a quick, genuine apology, followed by letting his play do the talking for the rest of the season. One bad night does not define a career, but how he responds to it might. If he grows from this, it could end up being a turning point rather than just a viral lowlight.
