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 league champion.
For NBA referees, their goal is to work in June, as well. Officiating in the NBA Finals and receiving the coveted White Jacket, which is awarded to referees selected for the championship series, is an honor.
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Earning that apparel isn’t easy, either.
“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 Tuesday 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:
- Scott Foster (18th NBA Finals)
- Tony Brothers (14th)
- Marc Davis (14th)
- James Capers (13th)
- Zach 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 with 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 then 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)
