As one of the most visible figures in professional sports, NBA referees are the subject of scrutiny and criticism, but they also have a very important job to do during games.
The officials’ main responsibility is to enforce all game rules, including points of emphasis. They’re tasked with trying to prevent violence between players on the basketball court and trying to keep fans from getting too rowdy to ensure fair play.
Before the Game
Basketball officials are responsible for players’ safety. That’s why they have to check and approve everything before the game. Officials must examine players’ shoes, jerseys, and other game equipment to ensure that they are safe for use. The officials also have to test scoreboards, timepieces, and shot clocks to make sure they work properly before the game begins.
Before each game, referees have to check basketball court surfaces with a ruler or tape measure. NBA rules say the width between baselines can’t be more than 12 feet, six inches. The depth of the free-throw lane has to be at least 15 feet. Everything has to be according to the rules to prevent any unfair advantage any team may have.
Also, officials have to see that there are two basketballs available for use during play and if they’re properly inflated. And they have to check with teams about what time they want the game clock set on when it began.
Basketball Referee
About 80% of calls during an NBA game are made by the officials, and they’re judged on accuracy, consistency, and how well they communicate their messages. Referees should be able to control game flow through their calls and must also go with the flow of the athletes on the court. Their uniform is typically black pants and white striped shirts.
It’s also worth noting that NBA games have six referees, while NCAA games only have three.
Player Equipment and Uniforms
As it was said before, the officials are responsible for the safety of players during gameplay, so they have to ensure that any of the players wear jewelry or use any foreign substance.
Crew Chief
The crew chief is the referee who’s in charge of that particular game. NBA rules designate one official as the head official, but this is not always done. However, most officials rotate through leadership roles throughout their careers.
In college basketball, a crew chief is called a senior official and his responsibilities are similar.
During Game Play
Officials are required to know all NBA rules and points of emphasis for the current season. Their work is divided into several different categories:
Ball Possession
During ball possession, the main duty of the referee is to ensure that the player with the ball continues moving and does not stop or wander around. The officials will be watching for other players leaving their assigned zones and should try to keep them in those areas. Referees should also call a foul if they notice an illegal guarding zone has been broken.
The officials’ jobs are made more difficult by whistle-happy coaches who call three or four timeouts in a minute, as well as players who standstill without dribbling the ball.
Fouls and Violations
Referees should be able to control game flow through their calls and must also go with the flow of the athletes on the court. Players are allowed a maximum of four personal fouls in a quarter before they’re disqualified from play. Referees are calling violations against players, coaches, and officials that happen during a game, to ensure that it isn’t repeated anymore. When a violation occurs, players are given appropriate penalties.
Calling Fouls
In the NBA, as is with any sport, fouls are called as soon as they happen, resulting in a dead ball. Calling a foul requires that the referee responds to what he sees and hears. If a player grabs another player’s arm and pulls it away from his body so they can’t jump, this is a foul and the attacked player can be rewarded with a free throw.
It is not unusual for an NBA game to have over 100 fouls called in a single game during a given 48 minute time span. In the court, officials rely on judgment and discretion when deciding whether or not an infraction has been committed. Basketball officials need to keep their composure, even if there is a lot of disagreement from players or fans who disagree with the call or feel that it was too harsh.
Game Clock
Each NBA game lasts 48 minutes. The basketball officials are responsible for the start of the game and the overtime period. The officials are in charge of keeping track of the game clock, which is displayed on the scoreboard. There are two trained timers, one official timer responsible for the game clock and one who keeps track of the shot clock, which informs if a player is taking more than 24 seconds to make a shot.
Communication
When the situation is not clear, the final say and final ruling go to the basketball officials. Officials must be able to communicate effectively with coaches, players, scorer’s table and fellow referees by making hand signals whenever they want to stop play. During a game, officials may ask players questions about the specific rules of the game and how they should be applied to their sport.
They might also talk through any calls made during a game with other officials or conference members to ensure everyone knows what happened and why. If two officials disagree they can talk it out and reconstruct the game. In NBA and college basketball they might use recordings of the match. If they can’t agree on a decision, a jump ball occurs between two players standing closest to the nearest circle.
Free Throws
Players get fouled while shooting the basketball. Should the foul occur within 6 1/2 feet of the basket, then the player will get to shoot two free throws. This is because the shot is easier than a long jump shot that would be worth three points if made. If there are more than six players in team fouls in one quarter, then they can’t make any more free throws for ten minutes to punish them for their fouls earlier in the game.
Scoring Plays
Another responsibility of basketball is scoring plays. They decide how many points scored are granted for a successful field goal. They keep a running summary of every play and point, from the start of the game to the finish.
Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Basketball officials also have the responsibility of correcting and penalizing unsportsmanlike conduct like using profanities, making contact fouls with players, table personnel.
Players may be disqualified for either one game, multiple games, or indefinitely. Once disqualified, players cannot return to the game unless their team has five players left.
On-court officials have to pay close attention to recognize these issues. They have to work together and communicate with players, team captains, and coaches when there is a disagreement or an issue arises.
