‘They’re actually paying fines’: Gonzaga’s technical fouls now come with monetary consequences – potentially up to $5,000

Technical fouls can be a costly endeavor, particularly for a team like Gonzaga that has found itself in a handful of single-possession games this season, with five of its seven losses decided in regulation by an average margin of 3.6 points and two others decided in overtime.

Gonzaga incurred three technical fouls in its first 13 games, but something that was largely a nonissue during nonconference play recently sparked up as a point of concern for the Zags, who’ve picked up six more technicals in their first 11 West Coast Conference games, pushing their season total to nine.

Gonzaga coach Mark Few has addressed the problem head-on, deciding the usual ramifications – sending the opponent to the free-throw line, forfeiting possession of the ball – weren’t enough to keep his players from getting called for technicals.

At some point in recent weeks, Few took punishments a step further, rolling out another set of disciplinary measures for GU players who receive infractions.

The consequences of a technical foul are still costly, now in a literal sense as well as a figurative one.

“They’re actually paying fines, just like NBA guys,” Few said Thursday after guard Khalif Battle picked up the team’s ninth technical in a 73-53 win over Loyola Marymount at McCarthey Athletic Center. “Now that they’re making money, they can pay fines. They’ll figure it out or it’ll cost them a lot of money.”

Some may wonder how much Gonzaga players are forking over for their technicals.

According to senior point guard Ryan Nembhard, the current number is $5,000 – not an insignificant sum for a college athlete, even in a name, image and likeness climate where some are earning six or seven figures through various endorsements and sponsorship deals.

“I think it’s just $5,000 consistent now,” Nembhard told The Spokesman-Review after Thursday’s game. “At a certain point, (Few) just figured out you’ve got to pay the $5,000. We’re getting way too many techs. So, you won’t see me getting no techs, that’s for sure.”

Nembhard’s been hit with two double technicals this season – one involving UCLA’s Eric Dailey Jr. on Dec. 28 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, the other coming after an exchange with San Diego’s Bendji Pierre on Jan. 8 – but both happened before GU’s coaching staff activated the penalty system.

Following his comments Thursday, Few declined to provide additional details on the fine system or specify how the team is enforcing it when asked after Saturday’s 78-61 win at Pacific.

“I’m not going to make them do a big story on that,” he said. “That’s just what we’re doing inside our program. We’re just figuring it out right now, so they’re not going to comment on it, I’m not going to comment on it. It’s just something we’re trying to figure out.”

A school official was unable to confirm when the fine structure was introduced, but Nembhard said it “came up recently.” The official also couldn’t say if any GU players had induced a fine and was unable to clarify how the money is turned over, considering college athletes aren’t directly compensated by their institution and NIL earnings are usually paid out by collectives, companies and organizations unaffiliated with the school.

Gonzaga players are hoping they won’t have to learn the particulars.

“I’m not getting no techs,” Nembhard said. “So I’m not about to get that $5,000 (fine).”

Battle’s response on Thursday when asked about the fine system suggested not every GU player had been looped in. The sixth-year guard was whistled for his first technical of the season after a verbal exchange with LMU’s Jevon Porter during the first half of a resounding GU win.

“Fine? Oh, he said I’m getting fined? I’ve got to talk to coach about that one,” said Battle, who spoke with media members shortly after Few wrapped up his postgame news conference. “It was friendly banter. They was talking, I was talking. I felt right at home. That’s where I come from. When I get in the game, there’s a little bit of talking. It was nothing disrespectful. They do a great job at LMU, successful program and I wish them the best. But we just battle on the court. I like that kind of stuff.

“I’ve definitely got to talk to coach about that fine. I’ve got to keep my (money). That’s my chicken right there.”

Senior forward Graham Ike leads Gonzaga with three technical fouls this season, all coming during WCC games. Ike spent the remainder of a 103-99 loss to Santa Clara on the bench after receiving a technical with four minutes, 28 seconds to play, then opened GU’s next game at Portland on the bench – his first time not starting since his freshman season at Wyoming.

“Graham, we had to do something with the technical,” Few said after a 105-62 win at the Chiles Center. “That technical hurt us. He was spectacular with how he handled it. He was so apologetic and just felt horrible about it. He’s as good a person as we’ve had in our program the whole time I’ve been at Gonzaga. He just has to manage his emotions better.”

Ike’s third technical came during the first half of a 62-58 loss at Saint Mary’s on Feb. 1 but didn’t result in him permanently going to the bench or being removed from the starting five in the team’s next game against LMU.

GU senior forward Michael Ajayi received a technical for hanging on the rim late in Gonzaga’s home win over Arizona State, and freshman center Ismaila Diagne received the same infraction after dunking in the second half at Portland. Few was whistled for a technical after a dispute with the officiating crew during GU’s win over Davidson at the Battle 4 Atlantis.

“I think we definitely have to be more mature,” Nembhard said Thursday. “We’ve got a bunch of veteran guys and we can’t get techs, especially in certain moments of the game. Some of them are not always the right tech in that situation, but I just think we’ve got to be a little smarter. I’m not mad at (Battle) tonight for getting that. It is what it is, but we’ve just got to be a little smarter sometimes.”

It’s unknown if any other college programs have adopted monetary penalties, but the NBA adheres to a strict fine structure. A player is fined $2,000 for violations one through five, $3,000 for six through 10, $4,000 for 11 through 15 and $5,000 for 16, along with a one-game suspension. Each extra technical foul after that comes with a $5,000 fine, and every two after that incurs a one-game suspension.

Nembhard hopes not to catch up to older brother Andrew, a former Gonzaga standout and third-year point guard for the Indiana Pacers, in the technical foul column. Andrew Nembhard, a mild-mannered, soft-spoken personality away from the court, is tied for 26th in the NBA with four technical fouls in 34 games this season, according to PlayerRatings.com.

“He’s had a lot of techs in the league,” Ryan Nembhard said. “You’ve got to start watching Pacer games. He’s that guy now, for sure.”