First off, I think Godman's or whoever's hypothesis needs to be modified - in any Officiating.com discussion, the topic will eventually turn to FIBA/Metric/"World Championship" blabber - you know the stuff.
I like to officiate because I have a highly technical/rules-oriented mind (which is why I'm also selected for roles such as election monitor and parliamentarian
), and the fact that I can't play a lick of basketball, so this is a great way to be involved in the game (you think Shaq is bad at free-throws??)
As most of you know, I got started on the other side of the table. My freshman year, I showed up very early to play in our 3-piece pep band, and the JV coach had me sit at the table and learn the clock. At the end of the season, the father of a friend gave me his rulebook/casebook/official's manual from that year and I started reading. Of course, when I got to college and was finally able to get out on the floor (albeit in an IM league) I did - making myself only one of maybe 3 refs to have read an actual rulebook.