NBA Playoff Refs City Connections
 

One-third of the 36 2009 NBA second round referees are from the New York city (3), Philadelphia (6), and Chicago (3) areas. 3 of the 6 Philly refs are from the same high school (Cardinal O'Hara). St. Paul, Minnesota (2) is the only other area with more than 1. Local networking and mentoring has got to be a factor. Philly, New York and Chicago are also basketball hotbeds. Any other thoughts or interesting NBA ref observations?

Bavetta #27 New York
Callahan #24 Philly (Cardinal O'Hara)
Capers #19 Chicago
Joe Crawford #17 Philly (Cardinal O'Hara)
Dan Crawford #43 Chicago
Davis #34 Chicago
Forte #45 New York
Fraher #52 St. Paul
Javie #29 Philly
Mauer #41 St. Paul
Malloy #73 Philly (Cardinal O'Hara)
Washington #49 Philly
Wunderlich #18 Philly
Zarba #58 New York

I can only speak as to Joe Forte and Joe DeRosa. Forte was recruited by the NBA because of his ability as a men's college basketball and FIBA official. Joe DeRosa was already officiating women's college basketball at the D-I level and was observed at a women's college camp by an NBA officiating scout.

MTD, Sr.

And Philly had a 7th member, Donaghy. Don't know which HS he went to.

His dad was a Final Four NCAA official.

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The cities that comprise Hampton Roads, VA currently has 3 officials: Tony Brothers, Leroy Richardson, and Olandis Poole. We also have 2 recently retired NBA officials, Nolan Fine and Jess Kersey.

Fraher is on here twice. Second one must be Kenny Mauer. Both great local officials and I see them every year at the Duluth camp. Ken Mauer is one of the best guys around, boy was he pissed about the Donaghy thing. "Choice words" would be putting it nicely.

You are correct. Original post has been updated to include Mauer as a St. Paul ref.

By the way, former NBA Referee Donaghy also attended Cardinal O'Hara in Philadelphia.

And probably juvie.

(insert soundtrack from "The Sting" here)

I don't know how long ago they moved, but Forte and Zarba don't live in New York. I'm not sure what ties Forte has, but Zarba was somewhat of a Phenom.

On another subject, I was told several years ago that NBA officials who don't officiate in the playoffs still get a playoff share. I was told that they get $75,000 (I think this was the figure). This is only what I was told so I don't have any way of confirming and it was several years ago. If it is true, that is a pretty good deal.

When the NBA went to the 3 man crew back in the 80's, they completely bypassed the CBA officials and took NCAA officials. They only wanted officials who had worked in front of big crowds of 20,000 or more. Forte had worked the NCAA finals so he and many others were asked. The starting pay for NBA was only 50-75K back then, and many officials were making more than that with their day jobs and were already making an extra 75-100k working D-1 so that would have been a major paycut. Forte had his whistle and the money from that, so he went NBA. Hightower and Clougherty were making more in their day jobs plus the D1 so they turned it down. It did not work out for a few of the college guys (maybe Rusty Herring??).
I feel bad for the CBA guys who had worked so hard to "get the call". Imagine if MLB had only signed up NCAA D1 umpires rather than the AAA guys during their strike of 1999 to those full time jobs. Talk about sticking it up your feader systems (CBA) rear end. What a joke that was.

They get a chunk of money, but it's not $75K. I heard an NBA official break down his rookie salary one year at camp. I believe he said he got around $30K from the play-off pot.

City Connections
 

Joe Forte officiated in Northern Virgina and in the Washington DC area. Scott Foster #48 is from Maryland.

Regardless, that ain't $35/game w/o mileage! ;)