Wizards coach Flip Saunders benched Andray Blatche in the first quarter after the forward, who has been one of the few bright spots in a dreadful season, refused to return to the action after the two argued over his defensive contribution.
“I took him out of the game because I wanted to talk to him about not getting back on defence,” Saunders told reporters. “He didn’t want to hear it.
“I told him ‘if you don’t want to talk, don’t want to be coached, you’re not going to play.’ We had coaches go up to him three different times. He just said he didn’t want to play.’
“In 15 years (of coaching), I’ve never seen anything like it. Never.”
Blatche is averaging career highs of 12.7 points and 6.2 rebounds this season and has been particularly impressive since breaking into the starting line-up about five weeks ago.
“He can be pissed at me but you never leave your team mates hanging out to dry like that,” Saunders added.
“No matter what. Especially when you’ve lost 11 games in a row and have a chance to win one. It’s uncalled for.”
Saunders said he did not believe Blatche, who scored four points but no rebounds in seven minutes against the Bobcats, would play against Indiana on Wednesday.
The Wizards (21-48) made a good start to the campaign but have struggled since December when floor leader and three-times All-Star Gilbert Arenas was suspended for the remainder of the season for bringing guns into the locker room.
Saunders and general manager Ernie Grunfeld opted to revamp the team in an effort to build for the future, a decision that has backfired remarkably with mounting losses and dwindling Verizon Center crowds.
In Tuesday’s defeat, Al Thornton hit a three-pointer with nine seconds left in regulation to tie the score at 82-82 and force overtime but the Wizards were swamped in the extra session.
The 23-year-old Blatche, playing in his fifth NBA season, was also a no-show in the Wizards’ locker room after the game.
