Q: How did you become an NBA referee?
I first began refereeing right out of high school. I called
games at the pee wee level before I moved on to the junior high level, junior
varsity level, and varsity basketball in high schools. I started working summer
camps before I was personally scouted and identified as a possible prospect. I
then spent six years calling games with the Continental Basketball Association and
two years refereeing in the Women's NBA (WNBA) before I was seen by a Supervisor of Officials
for the NBA and was essentially scouted like a player.
Q: How many games per season do you referee? What do you do in
basketball off-season?
Being a NBA referee is most certainly a full-time
position. In a regular season I will work seventy to seventy-five games per
season. Twenty-two to twenty-eight of those days are on the road. Working
during basketball season means spending a great deal of time away from my wife
and three sons, which is undoubtedly the most challenging part about my job. I
do have more free time in off-season, but we are still expected to keep in
shape and prepare for the next season.
Q: How much running do you do in a game? How do you keep in shape?
I have used my watch to estimate that I am running or
moving an average of four or five miles per game. Most people don’t know that
in addition to making calls, referees are athletes. In order for us to judge
the game correctly and see the shots with the best angles, we must be on top of
the action. I keep in shape by running, lifting weights, and I recently began
cross fit training.
Q: Do
you have any memorable moments with specific coaches or players?
I enjoyed refereeing the incredible 1999 game where Teresa
Weatherspoon hit an unbelievable half-court shot to win Game Two in the WNBA
Finals.
Requirements for Becoming an NBA Basketball Referee
1. Gain experience by officiating as many games as possible.
2. Attend many basketball refereeing camps.
3. Join a Referee Association.
4. Develop a workout plan to stay in shape.
5. Understand the personality and emotions necessary to be an NBA referee.
6. Contact the Minor Leagues and express an interest in refereeing.
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