Collin Sexton Fined $35K For Giving Middle Finger During Game

Chicago Bulls‘ Collin Sexton was fined $35,000 for giving the middle finger to the basket on Feb. 9 in a game against the Brooklyn Nets.

Sexton was fouled during the third quarter. He got two free throws and missed the first one. After hitting the second free throw, he proceeded to give his middle finger to the basket. 

The NBA fining players for on-court gestures is not new. In 2024, Rudy Gobert was fined $100,000 for making a “money” gesture toward the referee, implying that the referee had a financial stake in the game. In 2025, Joel Embiid was fined $50,000 for pointing at his crotch after completing a shot. Embiid has specifically received multiple fines for gestures made during games.

The Bulls lost to the Nets 123-115. Sexton scored 21 points but had a 39% field goal percentage. Anfernee Simons and Nick Richards, newly acquired players by the Bulls, played well in one of their first games with the Bulls. Meanwhile, for the Nets, Nicolas Claxton scored 28 points, and Nolan Traore set a career high in assists with 13. 

Sexton had recently been traded from the Charlotte Hornets. The Bulls acquired Sexton, Ousmane Dieng, and three second-round picks, and the Hornets acquired Coby White and Mike Conley. Conley was released and plans to sign with the Minnesota Timberwolves after clearing waivers. 

Sexton was playing in his second game with the Bulls. His first game with the team was Feb. 7 against the Denver Nuggets. Sexton scored 17 points in his Bulls debut and had help from Matas Bazelis, who scored 21 points. Despite this, the Nuggets won thanks to 2026 All-Stars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, both scoring over 20 points. 

Sexton will complete the final year of a four-year contract he signed with the Utah Jazz.