The NBA referees are considered a major foundation of one of the most well-known professional sports leagues in the world, the NBA. The league of the National Basketball Association boasts some of the finest athletes on the planet, and with that incredible level of talent comes some intense competition.
But behind every thrilling game is a team of arbiters who make sure the game is played fairly and in total compliance with the game regulations.
How much did NBA refs make last season?
NBA stars include more than just the players. Although there isn’t a universally applicable answer to the topic of how much money NBA referees make, current estimates put their yearly pay somewhere between $150K and $550K. Like most job positions in America, the salary of an NBA referee is based on both seniority and overall performance.
Referees’ entry-level pay is $600 per game, or about $250K. Experienced or professionally employed referees may earn up to $550K a year, or $3,500 every game. If an official works a playoff game, they may also be paid more; they can earn between $800 and $5K for each playoff game. Although each administrator is unique, let’s use Corbin as a specimen.
An NBA referee’s starting salary is $150K??!!!! pic.twitter.com/KLs4ZevXw8
— DEJ ✨ (@ho0ddaria) October 17, 2020
According to accounts, he receives $7K for every game and $29K for each semifinal and NBA Finals contest. Let’s look at the list in the larger picture and how long each member has been active in the Association. WNBA officials make $425 per game or $180K per season as referees, which is much less than NBA officials.
This salary disparity is also noticeable across players and is mostly caused by the WNBA’s and the NBA’s respective market sizes.
Who is the highest-paid NBA referee?
James Capers is expected to earn $550K per year as the highest-paid NBA referee in 2023, with charges of $9,000 for each playoff game. The richest NBA referee James Capers’ NBA career started ever-so-humbly. It began with him officiating high school basketball, which included nearly 1,500 games over 28 seasons. Before deciding to officially represent the NBA. He was a small-time salesman at Xerox.
His father, James Capers Sr., though was a former NBA official. This heavily inspired Capers’ decision to get pro. He officiated 178 postseason games, including 14 Finals, while he was an NBA official. Despite these figures and supporting documentation, he is not now ranked among the top 10 NBA officials of all time.
Officials primarily rely on the basic things, though occasionally a referee may hear something that helps determine whether a play was a foul. This accomplishment was made possible by James Capers’ development as a rules specialist. One of the best NBA referees, Capers excels at educating those who aren’t constantly on the court about the subtleties of the regulations.
