Best and Worst Moments From NBA Summer League Game Officiated by Richard Jefferson
Best and Worst Moments From NBA Summer League Game Officiated by Richard Jefferson. On Monday, Richard Jefferson officiated an NBA Summer League game. He had a difficult time wearing his familiar No. 24 and worked both as a player and referee. This is a look back at the best and worst moments of his first officiating experience.
A former player-turned-ESPN broadcaster traded in his suit for the zebra stripes and refereeing a game during the Portland Trail Blazers vs. New York Knicks Summer League game.
The NBA announced earlier on Monday that Jefferson would referee the second quarter of Monday’s Knicks-Trail Blazers Summer League game in Las Vegas.
Richard Jefferson, a former NBA player who now works as an ESPN broadcaster, officiated a game during the NBA’s Summer League in Las Vegas and he shared his experience on Twitter
“NBA officiating participant Richard Jefferson will be the man in the middle for Monday night’s game between New York and Portland,” sportswriter David Aldridge reported. “After retiring as a player, he has worked at ESPN as an analyst, and had experience watching how NBA refs prepare for games and how they execute it on the court.” He went on to explain his decision by tweeting about it through his account.
Throughout his first game as a coach for the New York Knicks,Jefferson had an experience that was thrilling, and then frustrating. He learned that referees are not always easy to deal with; he made it in the end. Just like that, however, when he made a couple of mistakes, the audience let him know. And if you make a number of mistakes, you can be sure that their head coach is present – especially if this happens to be Tom Thibodeau
Though many NBA players have transitioned into careers as referees, Jefferson is just one of four former NBA players to officiate an NBA game. Haywoode Workman led this elite club for his time in the league, appearing as a referee for eight years after an eight-year career with the Hawks, Bullets, Pacers, Bucks and Raptors.
Bernie Fryer was a ref in the NBA from 1978 to 2007. After retirement he went on to be Vice-President of the NBA and Director of Officials, before joining them in 2008.
He played 111 NBA games for the Portland Trail Blazers and New Orleans Jazz, started his officiating career in 1996, having played for the 76ers, Nets, Bullets, Spurs, Kings & Hawks.