Basketball Referee

Basketball Referee

Rndballref

20 Years Experience

Chicago, IL

Male, 60

For twenty years I officiated high school, AAU and park district basketball games, retiring recently. For a few officiating is the focus of their occupation, while for most working as an umpire or basketball referee is an avocation. I started ref'ing to earn beer money during college, but it became a great way to stay connected to the best sports game in the universe. As a spinoff, I wrote a sports-thriller novel loosely based on my referee experiences titled, Advantage Disadvantage

SubscribeGet emails when new questions are answered. Ask Me Anything!Show Bio +

Share:

Ask me anything!

Submit Your Question

651 Questions

Share:

Last Answer on September 20, 2019

Best Rated

Hi Ref,

Player A1 dribbles then stops and holds the ball with both hands. Defensive player B1 smacks the ball from A1 causing it to hit the floor and bounce up to A1. What options does A1 have?

Asked by Peter Johnston over 10 years ago

A1 can dribble pass or shoot because B1 knocked the ball away and A1 no longer had player possession.

Does the head coach have to come to the pre game meeting of players / Coaches / officials ? If he does not attend and an Asst. Coach does he the Asst. deemed head coach for that game ?

Asked by Robby over 9 years ago

I think the pre-game conference rules are dictated by each state.

do direct techs to a coach count toward team fouls

Asked by RefDre over 9 years ago

yes, but not indirect technicals.

i reffed basketball this morning my partner blew an indavertand whitsle the team ran down court scored the basket put the points on the board because nobody heard the whitsle can we take the points off the board and go back to where the indvartand wh

Asked by don jenkins over 9 years ago

If your partner said that he whistled the ball dead inadvertently, it does not matter if no one in the gym heard it - the ball was dead when he blew his whistle. He should have taken the points off the board, apologized to the coach and put the ball in play at the point of the inadvertent whistle.

IS Allen Iverson's Crossover a travel? I mean he does a crossover before his body and take three steps for a lay up without any dribble. See this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkkNcIDZquc

Asked by JYAO over 9 years ago

One principle is that you cannot travel between dribbles. Iverson probably travels (high school rules) when he jumps forward BEFORE he dribbles, a move Michael Jordan used as well. Iverson also, like Jordan, carries the ball (a NFHS violation) in the video several times but this seems to be allowed by the NBA.

On a designated spot throw in. Can a player take one step forward to adminster a throw in

Asked by Rox over 10 years ago

On a spot throw-in, a player must stay within a 3 foot area along the out of bounds boundary. That three foot area extends from the out of bounds line all the way back to the wall, or the first obstruction (bleachers, table, etc.).  

So to answer your question, as long as the player does not step in bounds before releasing the ball, he can take as many steps forward short of breaching the out bounds line.

Airborne player A-1 attempts a 3-point field goal. After returning to the floor B-1 fouls A-1. The try is unsuccessful. The official awards A-1 three free throws. Is the official correct?

Asked by mIKE over 10 years ago

No. After returning to the floor the player is no longer in the act of shooting. It should be a non-shooting common foul.