Steph Curry and Bronny James appear to disagree with NBA’s controversial new rule

• Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James was called for an offensive foul under the league new point of emphasis.

• Both superstars shared an amused reaction on the court after officials whistled the controversial push off infraction.

• The updated rule penalizes offensive players who use their off arm to create separation against on ball defenders.

During a preseason matchup between Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors, Bronny James and Stephen Curry shared a lighthearted viral moment that highlighted growing dissatisfaction with recent officiating guidelines. The third year Lakers guard became the latest player penalized under the new league directive, an updated enforcement policy designed to strictly whistle offensive players who extend their non dribbling arm to create space or push away defenders while driving toward the basket.

 

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Una publicación compartida por SportsCenter (@sportscenter)

The viral play and shared court reaction

The controversial sequence unfolded when the young guard attempted to drive past the Warriors superstar along the perimeter. As he made slight physical contact to shield the basketball, the referee whistled an immediate offensive foul, prompting both athletes to burst into laughter on the court instead of arguing the decision. Fans and sports media outlets quickly interpreted their joint amusement as an indirect critique of the strict enforcement standards being tested throughout this exhibition phase.

Ref called Bronny for a push-off vs. Steph 😅

They both couldn’t help but laugh 😂 https://t.co/SlDKZVNuHO

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 7, 2026

Player criticism and official league stance

The newly enforced point of emphasis has drawn sharp criticism from several athletes across the league, including Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, who called the officiating interpretations strange and inconsistent after receiving a similar call earlier in the week. In response to mounting public debate, senior league officials clarified that players are still permitted to feel defender positioning, but emphasized that forceful push offs and full arm extensions will continue to be called consistently during the upcoming campaign.

Exhibition results and player statistics

On the scoreboard, Golden State dominated the matchup with a decisive 124 to 98 victory over a shorthanded Los Angeles squad playing without key starters like Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic. Despite the team loss, the young Lakers guard produced four points and five assists over twenty one minutes of floor time, while the legendary Warriors sharp shooter displayed exceptional efficiency by scoring sixteen points in just fourteen minutes of action.

Cover photos from: @bronny – @stephencurry30