How Many Female NBA Referees Are There?

There are currently seven female NBA referees. Here’s a look at their backgrounds and how they got their start in officiating.

Introduction

Currently, there are 12 female NBA referees.

The NBA’s History with Female Referees

The NBA has a long history with female referees. The first woman to ref an NBA game was Violet Palmer, who made her debut in 1997. Throughout the years, the league has slowly increased the number of female referees, and as of 2019, there are three full-time female referees: Ashley Moyer-Gleich, Natalie Sago, and Pam Jackson. In total, there are 24 NBA officials who are women.

While the number of female officials has increased over time, the NBA still has a ways to go in terms of gender diversity. In the 2018-19 season, only 23 percent of officials were women. And despite the fact that women make up 50 percent of the population, they only account for four percent of NBA officials.

There are a number of reasons why the NBA has been slow to increase gender diversity among its officials. One reason is that the pool of qualified female referees is small. While there are many talented women officiating at lower levels, it can be difficult for them to move up to the NBA because they don’t have as much experience as their male counterparts.

In addition, some people believe that women aren’t as good at officiating basketball games as men are. This isn’t true — studies have shown that men and women officiate games equally well — but it’s a perception that can make it harder for women to be hired as referees.

The good news is that the NBA is slowly becoming more diverse and inclusive when it comes to its officials. In 2019, two new full-time female referees were hired: Moyer-Gleich and Sago. And with 24 women now officiating NBA games, it’s clear that the league is moving in the right direction when it comes to gender diversity among its officials.

The Current State of Female Referees in the NBA

The NBA has come a long way in recent years in terms of diversity and inclusion, but there is still room for improvement. When it comes to female referees, the league is lagging behind other professional sports leagues. As of the 2019-2020 season, there are only four full-time female referees in the NBA. Three of them are new to the league this season.

This lack of diversity is Especially glaring when you compare the NBA to other professional sports leagues. In the NFL, for example, there are 21 full-time female officials. MLB also has several full-time female umpires. The NHL has had two full-time female officials since the 2014-2015 season.

The WNBA has been a pioneer in hiring female officials. As of the 2019 season, 50% of WNBA officials are women. The league has also done a good job of promoting diversity within its officiating ranks, with 28% of officials being people of color.

There are a number of reasons why the NBA has been slow to hire more female referees. One reason is that there is a lack of qualified candidates. Women have been historically underrepresented in refereeing roles at all levels of basketball. This is gradually changing, but it will take time for more women to reach the NBA level.

Another reason is that some people believe that women are not as capable as men when it comes to officiating basketball games. This is an outdated and sexist belief that has no basis in reality. There are plenty of competent female referees out there who can do just as good a job as their male counterparts.

The NBA needs to do better when it comes to gender diversity among its officials. Hopefully, in the coming years, we will see more women joining the ranks of NBA referees

The Future of Female Referees in the NBA

It is no secret that the NBA has been slow to hire female referees. In fact, as of 2019, there are only four full-time female officials in the entire league.

Despite this lack of female representation, the NBA has taken steps in recent years to increase diversity among its referees. In 2017, the league hired Lauren Holtkamp-Sanchez as its first full-time female referee. Holtkamp-Sanchez made history again in 2019 when she became the first woman to serve as a lead official in an NBA game.

The hiring of Holtkamp-Sanchez and other female officials is a positive step for the NBA, but there is still a long way to go. The league has faced criticism in the past for its lack of diversity, and it will need to continue to make an effort to hire more female officials if it wants to avoid further scrutiny.

The good news is that there appears to be significant interest from qualified women who want to become NBA referees. In 2018, the league held its first ever training camp for female officials, and it was so successful that another camp was held in 2019. With more women interested in becoming officials, it seems likely that we will see even more progress in the coming years.

Conclusion

We found that out of the 123 referees in the NBA, only 8 are female. This means that women make up just over 6% of all NBA referees. While this number is low, it is still an improvement from years past when there were no female referees at all. We hope to see this number continue to rise in the future as more women enter the field and prove their skills on the court.