NBA announces list of referees nominated to officiate play-in tournament

The NBA announced a list of 36 referees nominated to officiate the play-in tournament and the first round of the playoffs.

The list also includes Natalie Sago, who will become the third woman to officiate NBA playoff games, CE Report quotes MIA.

Before her, Violet Palmer and Ashley Moyer-Gleich have officiated at that stage.

Sago learned the news from the NBA’s executive director in charge of referees while she was at Salt Lake City airport.

“This is a huge honor. I am excited and ready to give my maximum, for the women who are coming after me and for all the girls who will be watching playoff games,” Sago said.

Less than half of all referees are given the opportunity to officiate in the postseason.

The league said that referees selected for the playoffs are chosen based on key criteria monitored throughout the season, including evaluations and rankings by the NBA officiating department, decision-making accuracy, and teamwork.

Palmer officiated nine playoff games from 2006 to 2012, while Moyer-Gleich officiated two games in 2024.

Фото: ЕПА