A group of NBA players and referees used the All-Star break to sit down privately and discuss growing tensions in player-referee relations this season, according to a Medium post from the National Basketball Referees Association (NBRA).
Players complaining about questionable officiating in games isn't anything new — Tim Duncan was famous for his reactions to fouls called against him — but this season, each side has claimed the other has been crossing the line more than ever.
So far this season, LeBron James and Anthony Davis received their first career ejections, Shaun Livingston and a referee went forehead-to-forehead during an argument, and Draymond Green has gone so far as to say league should get "a whole new crop" of referees.
But Saturday's meeting reportedly went well enough that both sides agreed to a four-point plan going forward.
- Enhanced education and clarification around the Respect for the Game rules
- The opening of an additional channel of communication for future conflicts
- Plans for future meetings and discussions
- A broad review of existing rules and regulations and developing joint recommendations to enhance them
The plan might not be specific enough to lead to an immediate solution, but it appears to be a good start for an eventual resolution, according to National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) and NBRA leaders.
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“In this meeting, we took some important steps in identifying existing frustrations for both sides,” NBPA executive director Michele Roberts said. “Now with that information, we plan to move forward and continue to work together to find solutions that will enhance the on-court experience for both parties.”
NBRA spokesperson Mark Denesuk agreed with Roberts' assessment: “Our two unions met out of the necessity to examine issues that have previously been left unaddressed. We look forward to continued collaboration between our two organizations to explore common interests.”
Only time will tell how dedicated each side is to holding up their end of the bargain. Regular season play returns on Thursday, Feb. 22.