Russell Westbrook gets technical foul for hitting referee in face with the ball [Video]

Russell Westbrook might want to bounce the ball to the referee next time.

Or roll it.

Or hand deliver it.

Anything but throw it overhand, which is what he did Wednesday night, leading to a sore face for the referee and a technical foul for the Oklahoma City superstar.

Late in the first quarter against Charlotte, the Thunder called timeout. Westbrook had the ball at the time and hurled it in the direction of referee Tre Maddox, who wasn’t looking in that direction.

Then this happened.

Maddox turned around and was hit in the face with the ball. It doesn’t look like Westbrook did it on purpose, as he appears to be trying to get Maddox’s attention after the ball left his hand.

“I called his name,” Westbrook said after the game. “He turned right at me and then looked away. I don’t know.”

Nonetheless, Westbrook was assessed a personal foul, his 10th of the season.

“Instead of Russell giving the ball to the nearest official, he throws it in the area where Tre is and Tre is not looking,” official Sean Corbin said after the game. “The ball hits him in the face, so that is a technical foul.”

Westbrook appeared to apologize to Maddox later in the game.

“I would never, ever disrespect the game in that way, throw the ball at the referee,” he told reporters. “I’ve never done it before. That’s just not even heard of in our game today. If you do that you get kicked out the game. That’s not allowed and I would never do such a thing. To get a tech, it’s crazy to me. But I’ll take the good with the bad.”

charles.schilken@latimes.com

Twitter: @chewkiii