Not Appropriate ...

[BillyMac]

With the exception of the NFHS banning shoes with flashing lights in 1994-95, I’ve pretty much ignored shoes and socks during my five decades of officiating interscholastic basketball.

Until a middle school game yesterday when I spotted something late in the game dangling from the shoelaces of a player. My first thought was that the “Labubu trend” had infiltrated the basketball court.

I got a closer look after the game and it turned out to be a “tag” that came with the shoe. The player thought that it looked cool and kept it on his shoe. I warned him that at some point that he might be asked to take it off. Turns out that it will be me that asks him to remove it as I have his team again this afternoon.

3-5-1: The referee shall not permit any team member to wear equipment or apparel which, in his/her judgment, is dangerous or confusing to other players or is not appropriate