The players aren’t the only ones with traditions.
NBA referees are gifted a special outfit when they earn the chance to work a Finals game.
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It is a coveted custom white warmup jacket with the Finals logo and Finals script on it.
In the last 35 years, only 56 people have officiated a Finals game, thus receiving the jacket.
The white jacket symbolizes the highest honor an NBA referee can receive.
It is similar to the black belt in karate.
For example, in the regular season they wear black.
In the NBA Cup in Las Vegas, they wear red and in playoff games that aren’t the Finals, they wear blue.
But if they are lucky enough to participate and work into June, they receive the pearly white top.
There are 12 officials every year that get chosen to officiate the Finals.
They are picked by their overall performance throughout the postseason and from the regular season as well.
This year’s Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers have seen two new faces don the white zip-up jacket.
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Tyler Ford and Ben Taylor have made their NBA Finals debut having served as alternates in 2023 and 2024.
The other ten include, Tony Brothers (14th Finals), David Guthrie (eighth Finals), James Capers (13th Finals), Marc Davis (14th Finals), Josh Tiven (sixth Finals), James Williams (fifth Finals), Scott Foster (18th Finals), Sean Wright (second Finals), John Goble (ninth Finals) and Zach Zarba (12th Finals).
In other words, outside of Ford and Taylor, there is a plethora of Finals experience with this crew.
Byron Spruell, the president of league operations, released a statement before the Finals began, on the officials chosen.
“We are grateful for these 12 individuals and their dedication to serving the game at the highest levels throughout the season,” Spruell said.
“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.”
NBA’s Greatest
The Thunder are up 3-2 on the Pacers as Game Six gets underway on Thursday night in Indiana.