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New York Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
For NBA referees, earning the White Jacket is the pinnacle of their profession
The NBA season is long and grueling, with players aspiring to compete in June for the Larry O'Brien Trophy, which is awarded to the champions. For NBA referees, their goal is to be working in June as well, officiating in the championship series and receiving the coveted White Jacket, which is awarded to referees selected for the NBA Finals. Advertisement Earning that apparel isn't easy, and it's an honor. 'It's kind of our trophy, the medal around our neck,' veteran referee Scott Foster said in a league video. Zach Zarba added: 'It's like the Masters green jacket for us.' NBA Finals referees are selected based on their overall performance throughout the first three rounds of the playoffs. Officials are evaluated by the league's referee operations management team after every round to determine advancement. 'We are grateful for these 12 individuals and their dedication to serving the game at the highest levels throughout the season,' NBA president of league operations Byron Spruell said in a release. 'Being selected to work the NBA Finals is the top honor as an NBA official, and I congratulate this exceptional group on a worthy achievement.' Here are the referees assigned to the 2025 NBA Finals (there are some familiar names): Foster (18th finals) Tony Brothers (14th) Marc Davis (14th) James Capers (13th) Zarba (12th) John Goble (ninth) David Guthrie (eighth) Josh Tiven (sixth) James Williams (fifth) Sean Wright (second) Tyler Ford (first) Ben Taylor (first) Ford and Taylor received their first White Jackets after serving as alternates during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Courtney Kirkland and Kevin Scott are the alternates this season. Foster has officiated the most NBA Finals games among this season's pool (25), followed by Davis (21) and Brothers (17). Each will likely work one of the first four games in the series. If the series continues past Game 4, the league will assign refs as needed. Game 1 between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder is at 8:30 p.m. (ET) Thursday. (Photo of Scott Foster, Pat Fraher, Tony Brothers and Eric Lewis: Andrew D. Bernstein / NBAE via Getty Images)
Associated Press
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Scott Foster picked to work NBA Finals for 18th time, one of 12 referees selected for the series
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Scott Foster was selected to officiate the NBA Finals for the 18th time, the league said Tuesday when announcing the roster of 12 officials and two alternates that were picked to work the title series between Indiana and Oklahoma City. Foster is the most veteran of the group. Tony Brothers and Marc Davis were both picked for the 14th time, James Capers for the 13th time, Zach Zarba for the 12th time and John Goble for the ninth time in his career. David Guthrie is now an eight-time selection for the finals, while Josh Tiven was picked for the sixth time, James Williams for a fifth time and Sean Wright for a second time. There are two first-time selections this season: Tyler Ford and Ben Taylor. They were alternates in each of the last two seasons. 'We are grateful for these 12 individuals and their dedication to serving the game at the highest levels throughout the season,' said Byron Spruell, the NBA President for League Operations. 'Being selected to work the NBA Finals is the top honor as an NBA official, and I congratulate this exceptional group on a worthy achievement.' Courtney Kirkland and Kevin Scott were picked as alternates. Foster has officiated the most NBA Finals games among this year's referees with 25, while Davis has worked 21 and Brothers has worked 17. If previous form holds, each of the 12 will work one of the first four games in the series as part of a standard three-person crew. If the series goes past Game 4, the NBA will continue assigning as needed from the same pool for the remainder of the matchup. NBA Finals officials were selected based on their overall performance throughout the first three rounds of the playoffs. Officials were evaluated by the NBA Referee Operations management team after each round to determine advancement in this year's postseason, the league said. The crews for each game are typically announced around 9 a.m. Eastern on game days. ___ AP NBA:
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Exciting Mavericks News Revealed Amid NBA Playoffs
While the Dallas Mavericks continue to receive backlash from their response to all things Luka Doncic, even months after his trade as the franchise can't seem to get out of their own way, the team received a bit of good fortune on Monday. Five teams with identical regular-season records were broken via random drawings to determine their 2025 NBA Draft selection order. Conducted by Byron Spruell, president of league operations, the tiebreaker process determined several winners. Advertisement As noted by the NBA Communications office, the Phoenix Suns (36-46) won a tiebreaker with the Portland Trail Blazers, the Dallas Mavericks (39-43) won a tiebreaker with the Chicago Bulls, the Sacramento Kings (40-42) won a tiebreaker with the Atlanta Hawks, and the Memphis Grizzlies (48-34) won a tiebreaker with the Golden State Warriors and the Milwaukee Bucks. Second and third place in the tiebreaker drawings went to Milwaukee and Golden State, respectively. Lastly, the Los Angeles Lakers (50-32) won a tiebreaker with the Denver Nuggets, the Indiana Pacers, and the LA Clippers. Indiana, the LA Clippers, and Denver took second, third, and fourth place in the tiebreaker drawings, respectively. The 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, which is scheduled for Monday, May 12, will determine the draft order from pick Nos. 1 to 14. From pick Nos. 15 to 30, the draft order will be Miami, Orlando, Detroit, Memphis, Milwaukee, Golden State, Minnesota, L.A. Lakers, Indiana, L.A. Clippers, Denver, New York, Houston, Boston, Cleveland and Oklahoma City. Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason KiddJerome Miron-Imagn Images According to Tankathon, the Mavericks have a 1.8% chance of winning the No. 1 overall pick after winning the tiebreaker. Utah, Washington and Charlotte have the best odds to end up with the top pick, at 14 percent each. Advertisement The 2025 NBA Draft is scheduled on Wednesday, June 25. Related: Retired NBA Champion Pushes Luka Doncic Further Down After Lakers' Loss
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Minnesota Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards Fined $50,000 for Profanity Following Game 1 Loss, Fans React
Anthony Edwards fined $50k for profanity (Image Source - Getty Images) On May 22, 2025, the NBA officially announced that Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards has been fined $50,000 for using profane language during a postgame media interview. The incident took place after the Timberwolves suffered a crushing 114-88 defeat at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. The league's statement, released by NBA Communications and signed off by Byron Spruell, President of League Operations, did not specify the exact words used, but online reactions quickly filled in the blanks. According to one fan, Anthony Edwards ' offense was uttering the word 'f**king' during the postgame availability—a moment that clearly didn't sit well with league officials but resonated with many fans frustrated with the team's performance and the league's disciplinary priorities. The backlash on social media was swift and laced with sarcasm. Verified user @BonesGotBizzy rhetorically asked, 'how much is this fine for someone who works a 9-5?', putting into perspective just how massive the $50,000 fine is for the average person. This comment highlights a recurring sentiment among fans: the financial penalties handed down to NBA stars often seem disconnected from the economic realities of the general public. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Another fan, @Stitch379464652, didn't hold back either, calling the league 'so sorry it's pathetic,' expressing disillusionment over what they see as excessive control over players' expression. Meanwhile, others mocked the NBA's sensitivity, with comments like 'Soft ass fines,' pointing to what they perceive as the league's overreaction to a moment of postgame emotion. The incident also reignites the ongoing debate over freedom of expression in professional sports. While the NBA has historically encouraged players to speak out on social and political issues, moments of raw emotion—especially following a blowout playoff loss—continue to be policed with financial consequences. Anthony Edwards, one of the league's most electric young stars, has consistently worn his heart on his sleeve. While the fine may not impact his wallet significantly, it has clearly struck a nerve with fans who view the punishment as another example of the league being out of touch. Also read: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's New Deal With OKC Thunder Could Bank Him $1 Million…PER GAME With Game 2 looming, all eyes will be on Anthony Edwards—not just for his performance, but to see if this controversy fuels his fire on the court. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
New York Times
13-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
A tiebreaker cost the Bulls a shot at Cooper Flagg. What's next for Chicago?
Long-suffering Chicago Bulls fans might have felt a gnawing feeling during the NBA Draft Lottery. While conspiracy theorists were busy concocting arguments for why the Dallas Mavericks, with only a 1.8 percent chance, landed the No. 1 pick and the opportunity to draft star Cooper Flagg, a different cloud hung over Chicago. Advertisement The Mavericks won the lottery Monday night only after winning the draft-order tiebreaker over the Bulls last month. A random drawing, performed by NBA president of league operations Byron Spruell at the league office in Secaucus, N.J., gave Dallas 0.1 percent chance more than Chicago to land the winning ping-pong ball numbers. That minuscule percentage made all the difference between the Bulls welcoming a generational talent and scouring the back end of the lottery for good value. The Bulls own the 12th selection in the draft, remaining in their most likely landing spot. Chicago had only an 8 percent chance of moving into the top four selections. After finishing with an identical 39-43 regular-season record, Dallas had just an 8.5 percent chance of cracking the top four. It's the second time in seven years that a draft-order tiebreaker has delivered horrendous luck to the Bulls. In 2018, the Bulls won the draft-order tiebreaker over the Sacramento Kings. It put Chicago in the sixth position and Sacramento in seventh, but the Kings moved up to the No. 2 pick during that year's lottery. Kings fans still can't believe they took Marvin Bagley III over Luka Dončić, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Trae Young. Meanwhile, the Bulls drafted Wendell Carter Jr. with the seventh selection. The Bulls also won draft-order tiebreakers from 2021 to 2023. They drafted Dalen Terry 18th in 2022, but their first-round selections in 2021 and 2023 conveyed to the Orlando Magic as compensation for the Nikola Vučević trade. 'I have full confidence in our staff regardless of where we're picking,' Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas said at his season-ending news conference. 'I think we can always find value.' This year's Bulls first-round draft pick took a pit stop with the San Antonio Spurs. Chicago traded the pick as part of a package to acquire DeMar DeRozan in 2021. The Bulls then recouped the pick in this year's three-team trade that sent Zach LaVine to the Kings and De'Aaron Fox to the Spurs. Advertisement Now, the Bulls are banking on adding another quality player to a core that consists of Coby White, Josh Giddey, Ayo Dosunmu, Lonzo Ball, Matas Buzelis, Patrick Williams and Vučević. It's a suddenly revamped roster that sorely needs a star after the Bulls traded DeRozan to the Kings last summer. But with minimal draft capital and salary-cap space and few trade chips, the Bulls are emphasizing internal development. They still believe they can develop a star from within. 'We're always going to be looking at how to improve this roster by adding a high-caliber player,' Karnišovas said. 'At the same time, I would not put any limitations on this roster or on the way Coby's been playing or the way Josh has been playing. Those players have a chance of playing at a very high level.' White, 25, emerged as the team's leading scorer this season following LaVine's in-season trade. White averaged a career-high 20.4 points. Giddey averaged 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 9.3 assists in 19 games after the All-Star break. 'There's a lot to like about this young roster,' Karnišovas said. 'They showed it the second half of the season. We're going to try to add pieces and get better for next year.' Buzelis, the 11th pick in last year's draft, represents the value Chicago looks to find with the 12th pick. Buzelis got better as the season went on and averaged 13 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 27 games after the All-Star break. 'Watching what Matas has done and his progression through the year, that gives you hope,' Karnišovas said. Vučević is a candidate to be traded this summer, which could prompt the Bulls to search for size in the draft. Big men who project to be available at No. 12 include 7-foot-2 Khaman Maluach out of Duke, 6-10 Thomas Sorber out of Georgetown and 7-foot Danny Wolf out of Michigan. Advertisement The Bulls also need an influx of defenders, regardless of position. Dosunmu and Ball are their most reliable defenders, while Williams is the team's best option against big wing scorers. 'Obviously this group knows that expectations are going to be higher next year,' Karnišovas said, 'and I think they're going to be ready for it.' (Photo of Matas Buzelis: Jeff Haynes / NBAE via Getty Images)
