In the world of professional sports, especially basketball, there are a lot of job opportunities to go after. There’s probably no job in professional sports more difficult the being an NBA referee or official. Because there are things that the officials see that we see very differently. What seems obvious for us sitting at home could be difficult for the referee’s on the floor. This puts a lot of pressure on the officials to make the right call because it could affect the outcome of the game. In the world of the NBA, those situations come all the time. Here are some of the difficulties that an NBA referee will face when in the game.
The Difficulties of Being an NBA Referee
The Challenge System
At the start of the 2019-20 season, the NBA implemented a challenge system that was brand new for the NBA. It allows coaches to call a challenge if they see that the call on the floor is wrong. Even though the idea is great, it has caused a lot of confusion from both the players and the officials. Because there are certain situations where you can and you cannot challenge. This would lead to confusion between the officials and the replay booth. That causes more pressure for the officials to make the right call.
Making the Right Calls
Like in all professional sports, there is a lot of pressure on the referees to make the right call. In the NBA, officials have been criticized for not calling travels. The NBA even said that they were gonna put more emphasis on calling travels. Sometimes near the end of the game, refs would give a no-call on a shot that as fans we could be certainly a foul. One of the instances happened on December 30, 2013, when Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love got arm-barred by Dalles Mavericks forward Shawn Marion. After it happened, the refs didn’t call it even though there was one standing right next to it. Another instance that could occur is trying to figure if a foul is a block or charge. This instance happened in Game 1 of the 2018 Finals when Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James set up a charge on Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant. Initially, it was called a charge on the floor but the call was reversed by way of review, and it has caused a lot of controversies.
Constant Ridicule
From the fans’ perspective, most of the time we think the refs are constantly against our favorite team. Because we want to see the players dictate the game and not the officials. When that happens, officials will end up getting a whole bunch of criticism. We know the fans will always criticize the refs and then sometimes players will say something. Nowadays, players usually speak what’s on their mind and they’re not afraid to criticize the refs, no matter how big the fine is. Once in a while, even coaches will criticize the officiating. With the job of officiating, you’ll have to expect a lot of ridicule.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to being an official in the NBA, most people would say that it’s a hard job to do. Even though we give them grief a lot, their job is also very important. They’re the ones on the floor that enforce and keep things from being chaotic during the game. Even though they have a lot of pressure to make calls, we also have to remember that they see the game differently than we do. Even though it easy to see the call while we watch the game on TV, the refs are at different angles on the floor. Calls could be harder for them to see cause there right where the action is. Remember that even though we give them grief, they are also really important to our game.
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