What Does It Take To Ref In The NBA?
 

Hey guys, just out of curiousity, what does it take to become an NBA official. I'm pretty much just considering ref'ing for fun, I'm 18 right now, but just wanted to know what it takes?

Does "networking" have a lot to do with it? I assume it would

Thanks

I think the correct word is "refworking" and lots of it.

Cut/paste from probasketballrefs.com:

Q. What do I have to do to become a NBA referee?
A. In a recent interview with Referee Magazine, Joe Borgia, the NBA official responsible for recruiting and hiring referees for the NBA, the WNBA, and the NBA's Developmental League, described how the NBA goes about hiring professional basketball officials:

"I, along with our management team, watch a lot of officials. We go to camps to identify possible candidates. We go to college tournaments with the logic that the best officials in each conference are working those tournaments. I think last year I attended 30 games in nine days within six states. That was only me, we had many others out there watching on behalf of the NBA. I simply am trying to identify one or two officials who might have future potential within our league. We also have NBA-sponsored camps in which we invite candidates who we have seen work to get a look at them more closely. At that time, we can decide whether that official would be a good fit for our D-League. From this time forward, any official that works in the NBA or WNBA will first work in the D-League."

Referee Magazine, November 2006, Pg.18

Currently the NBA is taking a different approach to finding new hires. They are aiming at younger officials who are working JC, D3, and NAIA. They are no longer focusing on guys at the D1 level. The whole process is heavily involved with the D-League. The idea is to select and train the officials to do it the NBA way from early on and not have to convert other ways of thinking that were learned in the NCAA ranks.
At this time all NBA referees in their first four years with the top league work a split schedule in both the D-League and the NBA.

Yup, they don't want to have to re-teach officials that are used to calling traveling... palming... fouls........:D

Know a good bookie?:D

Will anyone, male or female, jump in and say that statement is offensive?

Um, no, it was just a joke imo. That's why I didn't personally find it offensive. I also didn't think that it was meant to demean NBA officials either in any way.

If for one second had I thought that he was serious, I might have remonstrated with him verbally.(Damn, I'm starting to talk like cda ref.:D)

We(officials) can kid around where fanboys dare not to go.

Of course, when it comes to opinions, mileage may vary.