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Last updated: Feb 09, 2024
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Just like most team sports, basketball uses officials to keep track of the score and clock and make sure that rules are followed. There are a few different types of officials present at most basketball games, each with their own roles and responsibilities. Keep reading to learn what each type of official does in basketball.
Table of Contents
- What Is an Official in Basketball?
- The Basics of Refereeing
- The Main Role of the Referee
- Pre-Game Responsibilities
- In-Game Responsibilities
- Equipment
- How Many Officials Are Assigned to Each Game?
- Replay Review
- How to Become a Basketball Official
- FAQ
What Is an Official in Basketball?
An official in basketball is a person responsible for spotting any rule violations and enforcing the appropriate penalties. Officials are vitally important to any basketball game, as they help to ensure a level playing field that prevents either team from having an unfair advantage.
The Basics of Refereeing
The referee in basketball is like any other referee in sports: they must keep order and make sure that all of the rules are followed. They are allowed to call fouls and violations whenever the rules are not followed and must enforce penalties clearly to keep the game moving. No matter the call or time of the game, all come from the officials and always fall to the crew chief or senior official if there is a dispute in any way.
The Main Role of the Referee
The referee’s main job on the basketball court is to administer fouls and calls whenever the rules are not followed.They must do so to the best of their abilities at all times and without any subjective judgment. Travels, double dribbles, fouls, moving screens, and other violations happen throughout the game, so the referees must stay on top of it all and make sure the game is always played as fairly as possible.
Pre-Game Responsibilities
Basketball officials must perform a number of inspections prior to the start of each game, primarily related to equipment. A few examples include making sure the balls are properly inflated, confirming that each team’s jerseys meet league regulations, checking roster cards for inactive players, and examining the court for any wet spots or other potential slip hazards.
In-Game Responsibilities
During the game, officials are tasked with calling fouls and violations, keeping track of the game clock, and handling disputes from coaches and players.Officials need to remain focused and properly positioned throughout the game, as even the smallest mental lapse can represent the difference between making the right or wrong call.
Equipment
Officials are easy to spot on the basketball court, often donning a traditional white and black striped shirt and slacks. In other leagues, like the NBA, referees will wear a more subtle gray shirt. Each official also has a whistle hanging around their neck, which is used to alert coaches and players that play has been stopped temporarily.
How Many Officials Are Assigned to Each Game?
There are three on-court officials assigned to each NBA game.Each official has a different title and set of responsibilities. These three are referred to as the crew chief, referee, and umpire.
Crew Chief
As the name implies, the crew chief is the head of the entire officiating crew.Duties include making a final ruling when other officials disagree and maintaining a strong line of communication with coaches, scorers, and statisticians.
Referee
Officials that occupy the referee position primarily handle conduct violations. While referees are well-equipped to call contact fouls and illegal positioning, they are mostly relied upon to settle disputes and hand out technical fouls if a player or coach loses control of their emotions and behaves poorly.
Umpire
Umpires handle basic foul calls and the clock, making sure the timer knows when to pause and restart the game clock due to a stoppage in play.For example, the umpire will likely be the official to hand down a ruling when a defensive player makes contact with an opposing shooter.
Replay Review
Another type of official that is rarely seen on-screen is the replay center official. When a close play occurs, and the on-court officials cannot confidently make a ruling in real-time, they often turn to the replay official. The replay official is generally not on-site and has access to several television screens that show the play in slow-motion from a number of different angles.
Watching the play unfold frame by frame with a careful eye ultimately allows the replay official to reach the correct verdict, which is relayed to the on-court officials through a headset. Replays are usually needed when the ball goes out of bounds and officials are unsure of which team touched it last (this determines which team gets possession of the ball).
How to Become a Basketball Official
Becoming a basketball official requires an immense amount of both physical and tactical training. Not only must officials be in strong shape so that they can run up and down the court with ease,they also need to develop communication skills and a concrete understanding of how to interpret each of the league’s many rules. Regardless of the level (high school, college, or professional), there is generally a course officials must pass in order to be certified to officiate games by the governing league.
FAQ
How many officials are there in basketball?
In basketball, there are usually three on-court officials. These officials are divided between the crew chief, the referee, and the umpire. While each of these officials is able to call common fouls and determine possession, they will usually be focused on a different set of responsibilities. Additionally, there are also replay officials who review a play through a series of slow-motion replays to determine the outcome.
How much do NBA officials get paid?
NBA official salaries range widely based on their amount of experience in the league. Rookie NBA officials are paid well for their services, with a typical salary sitting at $600 per game they officiate. This equates to roughly $250,000 a year.Meanwhile, veteran officials will make even more. On account of their increased importance, veteran officials will often make about $3,500 per game, which comes out to about $500,000 a year.In order to qualify for this pay raise, basketball officials must serve for three to five NBA seasons and demonstrate they are capable of handling increased responsibility.
What do basketball officials do?
The main responsibility of basketball officials is to make sure that a basketball game is played fairly. While this may seem like a simple task, there are many different factors of the game that officials must monitor. Even before the game starts, officials must make sure that all equipment is in proper order and that no regulations are being violated by either team. During the game, officials are responsible for calling fouls and violations, determining possession, and ensuring that no team is gaining an unfair advantage over another.
What are a basketball official’s pregame responsibilities?
At any level of basketball, the referees have some responsibilities that take place before the game begins.They must make sure every uniform is worn correctly. Also, they will inspect the court, hoops, and game ball to make sure that they are safe and conform to regulations. The referees usually meet with the team captains to go over any specific items they need to discuss and make general preparations for the game.
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Pages Related to Basketball Officials
- Basketball Official Scorer
- Basketball Crew Chief
- Basketball Umpire
- Basketball Referees
- Basketball Rules
- Why Do Referees Not Call Palming In The NBA?
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