Much has been made this NBA season about the relationship between players and officials. For whatever reason, it has seemed like things have been more tense than usual, and no one seems to be able to pinpoint exactly what led to the relationship between both sides becoming so tense this season.
What is clear, though, is that steps need to be taken to make sure this doesn’t continue to get even more out of hand. There’s an already scheduled meeting during All-Star Weekend that will serve to let grievances be aired with the hopes of easing tensions, and on Friday afternoon, the league announced a new program that will, hopefully, lead to things calming down between the two sides.
The NBA’s Head of Referee Operations Michelle Johnson and Head of Referee Development and Training Monty McCutchen, a former official in his own right, will oversee a five-step program that gets everyone in the league engaged. Here are the five steps, per a release from the NBA:
- Johnson, McCutchen and their staffs will conduct meetings with all 30 teams to discuss rules interpretations, on-court conduct and the expectations of NBA referees. These meetings will begin before the NBA All-Star break.
- The league will re-emphasize its “Respect for the Game” rules with referees, coaches and players to ensure consistent enforcement of those violations.
- The NBA Referee Operations department will expand its overall rules education initiative for coaches, players and team personnel to ensure clarity of the game’s rules and their proper interpretations.
- Johnson and McCutchen will conduct enhanced training for the referees on conflict resolution. In addition, they will more closely monitor the on-court interactions of coaches, players and referees to ensure referee decorum meets league standards.
- Through the NBA’s Officiating Advisory Council, the league will create opportunities for engagement with all key stakeholders to find common ground between all parties.
Who knows how things like this program and the airing of grievances meeting will work, but kudos to the league for at least trying to do something.
