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

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Last Answer on September 20, 2019

Best Rated

is it a foul to yell "STOP!" when you are playing on the court?

Asked by B-ball Gal :) over 11 years ago

There is no specific prohibition or wordlist which a player cannot use (except unsportsmanlike language such as profanity, racial slurs, etc.)/

Question: Is a free throw that doesn't touch the rim considered to be violation by the free thrower?

Asked by L. Rouse over 11 years ago

Yes.

When your defending, can you push the offense player with your body while he is driving to the basket?

Asked by Philip almost 12 years ago

NO, unless it is incidental or of no consequence.   Normally body contact by a moving defender on a drive to the basket is called a foul.

warriors player A throws the ball in bounds from under the basket, lions player A defending the pass deflects it, it hits the warrior player who passed it, who has not moved from his out of bounds spot, who's ball?

Asked by coach crookes over 12 years ago

Lions ball on a throw in.

If a player shoots the ball, can he recover the rebound if it is an airball, before it hits the ground?

Asked by Ed about 11 years ago

In NFHS rules a player can recover a try even if fails to hit the basket ring or the floor as long as it is a legitimate try. NCAA and pro rules are different.

I just found out of this rule when I was watching the CLE vs BKN game. What exactly is a showboating foul ?

Asked by MadFaker7 over 11 years ago

I searched through the NBA rulebook and could not find a foul called "showboating". There is a broad definition of unsportsmanlike conduct, but nothing specifically called show boating.

Fouls are for doing something wrong, not for doing something "right".

Asked by daveb over 12 years ago

That is true, but if a referee called everything technically the game would be unplayable and unwatchable.  For example, the rule used to be that on a throw in, if the player didn't take the shortest path onto the court after throwing in the ball in, it was a technical foul.  I never called it that way, and never worked with anyone who did.  Finally, NFHS changed this action to a violation and now it gets called.  Likewise, any carrying the ball, by rule,  is an illegal dribble.  But if a player is bringing the ball up from the backcourt unguarded and is turning the ball over, I am not going to call that until he is guarded.  (Officiating principle = Advantage Disadvantage).

I get that you are annoyed that a team can get back in a game by fouling a team who cannot shoot free throws, but while I think intentional fouls need to be clarified, I believe most people do not take your literal interpretation of the game and don't mind "going for the ball" common fouls as a legitimate strategy.  Again, I say a shot clock would remove much of the reason to purposely foul.