Bill Kennedy had some NBA fans cringing after his latest on-mic moment during Saturday’s game between the Golden State Warriors and Utah Jazz.
During a second-quarter coach’s challenge, Kennedy reviewed a foul on Utah’s Kyle Filipowski. When he announced that the call stood and the challenge was unsuccessful — in his usual dramatic delivery — it drew laughs from the crowd and even Steph Curry on the bench.
Not everyone enjoyed the show.
@ShakeZoula wasn’t impressed, posting, “We’re not there to watch Bill Kennedy. The NBA has lost its way.”
We’re not there to watch Bill Kennedy. The NBA has lost its way
— NBA Shake (@ShakeZoula) January 4, 2026
@Jester36963 echoed that frustration, saying, “I agree. People need to get satisfaction put of doing their core job well. Obviously this man has been affected by the screen and a narcissistic performance culture.”
@jvthed210725 pushed back, writing, “The NBA is an entertainment business first, competition second. Bill’s hilarious and an overall good dude. You make a solid point refs talk about all the time: never be bigger than the game. Fans come to see the players. When it’s done right, elite competition creates fun, and that’s the whole point.”
While Kennedy briefly stole the spotlight, the Warriors ultimately had the final say, pulling away for a 123–114 win as they continued to climb the Western Conference standings.
“This guy is the only thing making this season watchable”: NBA fans turn to Bill Kennedy’s mic work for entertainment
Despite the criticism, plenty of fans — including Curry — seemed to enjoy Kennedy’s moment on the mic.
After the ruling was announced, Curry was caught laughing on the bench, clearly entertained by the veteran referee’s delivery. Many fans shared that same reaction.
@stooboot leaned into it, saying, “this guy the only thing making this dogs**t season watchable.”
@freakimus praised the presentation: “Kennedy’s mic work is so good lol.”
And @AmibethOlderman couldn’t get enough, adding, “I could watch videos of Bill’s calls almost all day! I also think he would make an awesome Audiobooks reader!”
Love it or hate it, Bill Kennedy’s mic time continues to split NBA fans — with some cringing, others laughing, and everyone talking about it.
For more sports content:
Follow us @HardwoodHeroics for your NBA and college basketball reading fix. You can reach out to Dan Agulto through email at papadanph@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest sports news, click here!
Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
