Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun was ejected late in the fourth quarter during a 114-93 defeat against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday after directing a derogatory slur at referee Jenna Reneau. The controversy stemmed from a no-call on a drive where Sengun believed he was fouled by Celtics player Luka Garza, which caused Sengun to lose his composure and verbally lash out at Reneau.
According to professional lipreader LegendZ, Sengun called Reneau a “b*tch,” which led immediately to his ejection by the official.
“He’s up on me.. you a b*tch! F*cking b*tch,” Sengun allegedly said.
Jenna Reneau acted without hesitation, ejecting Sengun after hearing the remark. The Celtics’ Jaylen Brown encouraged the referees to take action, shouting:
“Woah get him outta here”
Following the ejection, Sengun repeated the insult towards Reneau twice more. When Rockets guard Amen Thompson inquired about the reason for Sengun’s removal, Reneau simply replied:
“He can’t call me that.”
This incident happened on National Girls and Women in Sports Day, which intensified negative reactions from fans across social media, adding to the controversy.
Alperen Sengun’s Recent Struggles Compound Off-Court Challenges
Sengun has been experiencing difficulties beyond this incident, facing declining performances since suffering an ankle injury on January 3 during a game with the Rockets. Once considered a potential MVP candidate and a lock for All-Star and All-NBA honors this season, his form has dipped, costing him his All-Star bid and putting his prospects for All-NBA recognition in jeopardy.
The situation worsened when Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka publicly criticized Sengun’s defensive play during a recent interview, specifically addressing how both his team and the Charlotte Hornets have been targeting Sengun in pick-and-roll situations.
“It’s been the case since I’ve been here. So no different there.”
This comment highlighted concerns about Sengun’s struggles on the defensive end and only added public pressure on the young star.
The recent abuse of the referee has now placed Sengun in an off-court controversy, raising questions about his discipline and professionalism going forward.
Context Surrounding the Incident and Its Broader Implications
The incident involving Sengun and referee Jenna Reneau garnered widespread attention due to the timing on National Girls and Women in Sports Day, a moment meant to celebrate women in athletics and related roles. Such a disrespectful outburst challenged the spirit of the day and negatively impacted Sengun’s reputation among fans and analysts alike.
Given his recent injury struggles and public criticism from coaches such as Ime Udoka, this episode could deepen questions about Sengun’s maturity and ability to manage frustrations under pressure.
How the Houston Rockets and Sengun respond to this event will be critical. Discipline measures or public apologies could follow, and the player’s future conduct will likely be closely watched by the league and media alike, influencing not only his career trajectory but also perceptions within the NBA community.
What Alperen Sengun Really Said To A Female Refereeđź‘€:
Sengun: “He’s up on me.. you a b*tch! F*cking b*tch”
Brown: “Woah! Hey, get him out of here!”
Ref: “He can’t call me that, no!”
As he was getting ejected, Sengun called her a b*tch for a third time. pic.twitter.com/UPkLYsQynK
— LegendZ (@legendz_prod) February 6, 2026
Ime Udoka was asked about Alperen Sengun getting hunted on defense in pick and rolls in the last two games: "It's been the case since I've been here. So no different there." pic.twitter.com/s69Ul0YUQF
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) February 6, 2026
