Basketball Referee Roles (2024)

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Posted by Rookie Road Staff

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Referees are pivotal in the game of basketball. A bad referee can negatively affect the outcome of a game, while a good referee makes sure that the winner is decided fairly. Read on to learn all about a referee’s basic roles and responsibilities during a basketball game.

Number of Referees in Basketball Games

The officials and referees are responsible for interpreting the rulebook and calling fouls and violations during basketball games. There are also referees that oversee statistics, scorekeeping, the game clock and shot clock, replays, and when a player steps out of bounds.

In the NBA, there are eight officials: one crew chief, two referees, one official scorekeeper, two trained timekeepers, one replay center official, and one courtside administrator.For lower levels of basketball, the number of referees for each game can vary.

Referee Roles and Responsibilities

Referees have lots of responsibilities in a basketball game. These are some of the basic roles and responsibilities shared by on-court officials:

• Check all game equipment (i.e., hoop, ball, backboard, floor)
• Ensure the pressure of the ball is between 7.5 pounds and 8.5 pounds
• Check players’ uniforms and remove illegal equipment
• Check team roster size and the active list
• Toss the ball in jump balls
• Assign possession of the ball on in-bounds passes
• Give the ball to free throw shooters and inbounders
• Call all fouls and violations
• Signal a dead ball by blowing their whistle

List of Basketball Officials

In basketball, there are six different types of officials. Each type of official has specialized roles and responsibilities. The six types of basketball officials are listed below:

• Crew Chief
• Referee
• Scorekeeper
• Timekeeper
• Replay Center Official
• Courtside Administrator

Basketball Crew Chief

The crew chief is the head official in any group of basketball referees. They always have the final say on a ruling if there is a disagreement between the referees. A crew chief is also responsible for discussing calls with both teams’ head coaches if there is any confusion about a ruling. The crew chief is the most important job in the officiating crew and can have a huge impact on the outcome of a game.

Basketball Referee

Referees are responsible for calling fouls and violations, whistling dead balls, and giving the ball to free-throw shooters and inbounders. These are very similar to the responsibilities of a crew chief. The only difference between the crew chief and regular referees is that the crew chief has the final say on a disputed call.

Basketball Scorekeeper

The scorekeeper in basketball is responsible for tracking the scores of both teams, updating the scoreboard, and confirming all scored baskets. They need to pay very close attention to the game to record the correct score, which players have scored, and confirm other statistics with the referees, such as fouls or timeouts. The scorekeeper will sit behind the scorer’s table, which is located on the sideline near center court.

Basketball Timekeeper

There are two timekeepers in basketball who are in charge of starting and stopping the clocks during gameplay. One timekeeper mans the game clock, while the other focuses on the shot clock. The timekeepers stay in constant contact with the on-court referees and will change the time on the clock if the crew chief deems it necessary.

Basketball Replay Center Official

The replay center official is perhaps the most unique member of the officiating crew because they are not actually located in the arena. The NBA’s replay center is located in Secaucus, New Jersey, and this is where all NBA referee calls are reviewed in real-time. In the replay center, officials can monitor multiple different angles of on-court fouls or violations to ensure they make the right call.

When a referee is unsure about a call on the floor, or a team challenges a call, they will go over to the scorer’s table, opening the line of communication between the officials on the court and the replay center official. The replay center official will quickly review footage of the controversial call and communicate the correct decision to the courtside administrator.

Basketball Courtside Administrator

The courtside administrator operates as a go-between between all other referees and the NBA replay center. This official is responsible for making the call to the replay center when a questionable play arises. Once the decision is made by the replay center official, the courtside administrator then communicates the final call with the appropriate arena officials, usually the crew chief.

Basketball Fouls

A foul is a penalty given to a player and team for committing an illegal action toward another player. There are many fouls in basketball, including flagrant fouls, personal fouls, technical fouls, and team fouls. Depending on the situation, fouls can result in the opposing team being awarded free throws. Referees are responsible for calling fouls when they happen on the court.

Basketball Violations

A violation is a type of penalty called for violating basic rules of the game, like dribbling illegally or timing mistakes.Violations are viewed as less severe than fouls and do not result in free throws. Referees are responsible for calling violations when they happen on the court.

Basketball Referee Signals

A referee will blow their whistle and make a signal with their arms when a foul or violation is called.They also use hand signals to communicate made shots, changes of possession, or to start the clock. There are lots of referee signals in basketball, which are necessary for referees to communicate with other referees, coaches, and players in an effective manner. When referees huddle up to discuss a call, it slows down the game and can ruin a game’s flow and rhythm.

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