He told them, "No!"

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by tomegun

NBA rookies do NOT make $80,000. About four years ago a NBA official told us rookies make $105,000 and they are paid $295 per day (not per game) when they are on the road. Additionally, they could make some money from plane tickets. Since that was four years ago, it could be higher now. Oh, I've also heard that NBA officials who don't make the playoffs still get $15,000 from the officials who work the playoffs. They apparently put in on it.

I'm not totally disagreeing with what Rut said; he probably could still make more money in the college game than he would - initially - in the pro game. But, he wasn't going to go broke from his NBA salary.

My point is if he has a day job and makes 6 figures already, I do not know he might be taking a pay cut to work in the NBA. If you work in the NBA you are an employee of the NBA. You are not an independent contractor and you cannot work another job. Then if they fire you which can easily happen, you are completely out of a job. It might not have been the best thing for him.

Originally Posted by tomegun

Also, I asked about Tony Greene's job situation last year when everyone was talking about him being the next to get hired. I was told, by someone who knows him, that he is at a point in his regular job where he can retire. His job was NOT the reason he turned them down.

I am not saying his job was the factor. I am saying it might have been a factor.

Originally Posted by tomegun

Ladies and gentlemen, not having aspirations for the next level - and comparing those aspirations to a high school ref - cannot be the answer for every situation similar to this. I think it should be obvious that after officiating the summer league in Las Vegas and doing some pre-season NBA games, Tony Greene's aspirations were to go to the next level. The "aspirations" tag is used too much; this official was on his way and his decision had nothing to do with his job or his aspirations.

Tony, I do not know Tony Greene. I probably never will know the man. I am sure there are a lot of factors to why he made this decision and it just might have been he is happy where he is at and the NBA will not excite him. Whether it was money, family, job or just plain happiness, he made a decision that he can only make. I am not the most accomplished official around and maybe one day I will change my mind about what I want to do in my career. I just know that officiating is great but it is not the only thing in my life. Maybe the grind of an NBA season was not for him. Also these guys have to do a lot during the off-season and he just might have made a decision with his family that this would not be the best move. I am also sure he knows what officials in the NBA do and he made an educated decision. We cannot begrudge a guy that decides to make a decision that works for him. This is not even about HS verse college or higher level ball. We all have to look in the mirror and decide what is best for us. Right now I got an opportunity in my officiating career that I never thought I would ever have or even want. When faced with a decision or an opportunity I had to decide if this was best for me. Tony Greene is on another level than me and most of us here, but I am sure he drew some conclusion based on what he knows. We can never fault him for that.

Peace