On top of an NBA referee's salary, regardless of their distinction, they also earn large compensation packages. A decade back, they used to earn much lesser. Can something go right in my life? I dont know if the NBA is going to be starting again [due to the pandemic]. What advice does she have for aspiring referees? She was named to the schools Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015. Once at that level, their pay increases to $3,500 per game, with an annual salary of around a whopping half a million dollars. Absolutely. With all these job requirements, it would be expected that an NBA referee is fairly compensated. Each team in the league plays 82 regular-season games over that period. How did you get to the G League referee camp? The following is a Q&A with Jelks, 35, about her path to the NBA. Nagy unofficially began his officiating career at 14, when his father allowed him to referee a Youth CYO Christmas Tournament game. Thus, optimal physical stamina that helps them to run, walk or stand for the duration of a game is vital. [3], Jelks played college basketball for the USC Trojans women's basketball team from 2004 to 2008. So it was funny that when the Lakers walked out, they kind of look like, Hey, arent you all a couple G League referees? NBA Referee Simone Jelks Birthday And Wikipedia Revealed. She loves being able to contribute to the game she loves so much. Jelks worked 16 regular-season NBA games as a non-staff official . Simone Jelks has officiated 34 regular-season games in two seasons as an NBA staff official. I was at a womens college camp [in 2017], tryout camp, in the summer. For instance, he can . Entry-level NBA referees earn $250,000 per year as "rookies." After three to five years of experience, entry-level referees are eligible for a higher salary at the senior level. She was being promoted to a full-time NBA referee, making her the fifth woman and only African American woman to currently hold that title in the league. After fans and players ripped the replacement officials hired by the league, the NBA settled the strike and recognized the NBRA as the sole bargaining group for referees. 3. Schroeder's wife, Britta Anderson, was a pioneer in her own right: Back in 2011, with virtually no women in similar positions whatsoever, she was hired as the associate team physician for MLB's Detroit Tigers -- a role she still occupies today. "Once or twice a week in the summer, we would get on a Skype call and spend an hour or two hours talking rules, talking scenarios, situations. Required fields are marked *. She began her career officiating youth games in her hometown of Oakland, California. To that effect, there have been real efforts toward promoting equality and diversity within the officiating ranks, the sort that may not make headlines but truly advance a progressive agenda. Per Game Ref Stats. Any postseason game . Jelks says that becoming an NBA referee was a lifelong dream of hers. "Her advice is always authentic.". 7:30 PM ET Referees in the National Basketball Association (NBA) oversee 120 pre-season games, 1,260 regular season games, and four rounds of playoff matches.These officials "oversee competition in real-time between 10 exceptional athletes, making calls with 95% accuracy.". "There's no reason why we shouldn't have more women as officials, coaches and basketball executives in our league," Silver said. Simone Jelks is the NBAs first female referee. Candidate profiles, including referee clips and employment history are reviewed by an NBA scouting team. Referees gearing up for return to NBA games, too, Like teams, NBA refs have new health, safety protocols, NBA denies Dallas Mavericks' protest, fines Mavs owner Mark Cuban $500K, Assistant coaches program helps former players become future coaches, Warriors' Green ejected from Game 2 for flagrant foul, Jackson Jr. named Kia Defensive Player of the Year, Interactive Stats Visuals for Kia DPOY Finalists, Ties broken for order of selection in '23 NBA Draft. None attempt to discount their own burdens that they overcame. As an official, her job is to enforce the rules of the game and keep play fair. There is no such thing as officiating a perfect game. The two even got to officiate two high school games together, a moment that seems like yesterday in her memory even as she's gone on to call contests in both the WNBA and NBA. Looking for a way to soothe anxious nerves, she called Kantner before her first WNBA game, then again before her first NBA preseason game. Work as a referee for youth basketball. When Holtkamp-Sterling returned to officiating after giving birth in 2019, the league had arranged specific accommodations for her as its first-ever mother to officiate a game. It stuck for good, always as a term of endearment. In such an environment with these many distractions, NBA referees need to have a keen ability to focus, so that they dont miss to make important calls that could affect the games outcome. Jelks is the second African American woman to referee in the NBA full time. Young women shouldn't have to look at officiating, or so many other traditionally male-dominated professions, as rarified air for only the chosen few. A former University of Southern California womens basketball star who played professionally in Puerto Rico and overseas in Croatia, Jelks refereed womens basketball on the college level for three years, in the Mid-American Conference and the Horizon League, and then in the G League. I thought that was awesome. After three to five years of experience, entry-level referees are eligible for a higher salary at the senior level. Last month, Jelks made history when she officiated an NBA Summer League game between the Atlanta Hawks and the Dallas Mavericks becoming the first female referee in NBA history, It was an unbelievable experience, she said. Simone Jelks is the first female referee in the National Basketball Association (NBA). No. The 2004 graduate of Brush High School worked 16 regular-season NBA games as a non-staff official last season. Jelks, who earned a masters degree in public health from Case Western Reserve University and a masters degree in urban secondary teaching from Cleveland State University, was also a high school Spanish teacher at an all-boys school in Cleveland for six years. Five full-time women in officiating today eclipses the total of the NFL, MLB and NHL combined. How the structure of the game may affect players in basketball. NBA officials Simone Jelks (left) and Ashley Moyer-Gleich working a game together in Chicago. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Interest-Based Ads | EU Privacy Rights | Cookie Policy | Manage Preferences. Since Holtkamp-Sterling, four more women have been hired as full-time NBA referees. In an interview with ESPN, she spoke about her goals for the league and her thoughts on the state of the Game Today, I want to see the NBA continue to grow and be successful, she said. "And I say that very positively. March 12, 2021. Other projections put the base salary for new referees somewhere around $250,000. Be yourself. I grew up watching basketball and to be able to be a part of it now is just an unbelievable feeling., Jelks, who has been officiating for 12 years, says that she didnt set out to become the first female referee in the NBA. Jelks joins the group of female NBA referees that also includes Lauren Holtkamp-Sterling, Ashley Moyer-Gleich, Natalie Sago and Jenna Schroeder. Simone Marie Jelks[1] (born March 9, 1986) is an American professional basketball referee in the National Basketball Association (NBA), wearing number 81. Those whispers Holtkamp-Sterling would hear as she entered the league years later? After college, she played professionally in Puerto Rico and Croatia. She is a founding member of Women In Sports officiating, an organization that works to promote female officials at all levels of play. Former Brush High School basketball standout Simone Jelks was one of three basketball referees promoted Wednesday to full-time status by the NBA. Violet is an incredible woman and shes such an honest woman. Total. Did that prepare you at all for officiating in the NBA? It's needed that we strengthen each other emotionally, and just have that good support team.". "Lauren took about six of us under her wing a couple summers ago," Sago said. She also has three seasons of NBA G League officiating experience. Jelks also spoke about her hopes for more female involvement in the sport at all levels. The league releases the refereeing assignments daily at 9 a.m. Other projections put the base salary for new referees somewhere around $250,000. It was like God was giving me a sign like, Ive never left you. Just do your best and dont give up, she says. She was a 2004 McDonald's All-American nominee and a two-time (2003, 2004) Western Reserve Conference North Division MVP and first-team all-conference selection. Jelks became the seventh woman to be a full-time NBA referee. NEW YORK (AP) Simone Jelks was one of three referees promoted to full-time status by the NBA on Wednesday, making her the fifth woman on the current lineup of officials. Simone Jelks (Cleveland, Ohio) has officiated three seasons in the NBA G League. This includes calling fouls, monitoring player and coach behavior, and managing the flow of the game. Andy Nagy (Toledo, Ohio) has six seasons of NBA G League experience. Grasping it entirely is a struggle. Simone Jelks, Jenna Schroeder, Danielle Scott and Holtkamp-Sterling (married to fellow NBA ref Jonathan Sterling). "I remember learning about Dee and Violet being NBA referees," Holtkamp-Sterling said of her younger self. Marc J. Spears is the senior NBA writer for Andscape. "[He] confronted me and told me I didn't belong there, working that game," Holtkamp-Sterling recounted years later. However, one can also work their way up through the different basketball leagues to become an NBA referee. Jelks becomes the seventh female full-time ref in NBA history, with the current five preceded by Dee Kantner and Violet Palmer. So I was just very grateful, very excited and drove straight to my parents house and just broke down.. And every time that Ive reached out to her, shes given me nothing but just honesty and transparency. Entry-level referees are on the lower end of that scale and receive larger paydays the longer they are in the league. #16 Guthrie, #74 Blair, #23 Maddox So I was on an emotional roller-coaster ride thinking, Man, like, what is going on? But now, in 2021-22, the NBA has six female referees on its full-time officiating staff, the most . Thats an extra challenge, and I wanted the extra challenge just to see if I could do it. It also helps me understand the players frustrations. As of last season, 11 different women were employed in assistant coaching positions around the NBA. Find Highest Paid NBA Referees 2022 (+All Salary). The same advice that Violet gave me, Be yourself, because thats the only person you can be. Most notably, then-Celtics broadcaster Cedric Maxwell used a stunningly offensive "get back in the kitchen" line for a game Palmer was officiating in 2007 (Maxwell would later apologize). An official union, called the National Association of Basketball Referees, was created in 1977 and is known today as the National Basketball Referees Association (NBRA). (Prior to entering the league, Palmer worked as a referee in NCAA Division I women's basketball.) Ashley Moyer-Gleich, 33, a former Millersville University college basketball player who debuted as a full-time NBA referee in 2018 after working in the WNBA, took years of mentorship from Kantner; both are from cities within an hour of each other in Pennsylvania. NBA G League referees Simone Jelks, Suyash Mehta and Andy Nagy have been promoted to full-time @NBA staff officials, it was announced today by Monty McCutchen, NBA Senior Vice President, Head of Referee Development and Training. Jelks officiated three seasons in the NBA G League. Youre like, Dang, I couldve done this better. A combination of basketball expertise and interpersonal skills is what is needed for NBA referees to succeed in their roles. Referee. Please logout and login again. Compare the numbers of the three finalists for the leagues top defensive honor. Youth basketball leagues can be a great place to start as a referee. Officiating is ostensibly the main subject, and certainly a common thread. Only after that they become eligible to officiate postseason games where they can earn as high as $10,000/game in the first two rounds which can further increase to over $30,000/game for the referees officiating in the finals and semifinals. "She taught me how to carry myself, how to be comfortable being the only woman in the room all the time. Next up is Simone Jelks, who became the league's seventh full-time female ref in 2019. There have only been seven full-time female referees throughout the NBA's history, and five still currently work for the league. She is also known for being one of the most accessible officials, often taking the time to interact with fans before and after games. I never met Natalie before. I remember that call like it was yesterday because I had just got out of a serious relationship. Top 5 NBA female referees in the game today 1) Lauren Holtkamp. She will be one of five women on the NBA's current lineup of officials . One needs to pass a background check and complete an interview to qualify to become a high school referee along with a basketball rule test at times. And not everyone was comfortable. "Her advice is . at Case Western Reserve University 11 M.ED at Cleveland State University 13. "Former Brush Basketball Standout Simone Jelks Becomes NBA's 7th Female Referee", "NBA Promotes Three Referees To 2020-21 Officiating Staff", National Basketball Referees Association bio, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Simone_Jelks&oldid=1098223458, This page was last edited on 14 July 2022, at 20:41. Palmer and Kantner were so much more than just trailblazers; the weight they shouldered eased the burden for all who came after. . Jelks was one of three referees promoted to full-time status by the NBA on Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020 making her the fifth woman on the current lineup of officials. Jelks, who is from Richmond, Virginia, went on to play college basketball at James Madison University. I dont know if Im going to have a job. The former G League standout talks family, injuries and his path to the BAL in lieu of Nile Conference play on April 26. This page is not available in other languages. It's not a big deal anymore," she remembers thinking. I was able to just get my eyes adjusted to the speed of play. As per the source, Simone was born on September 3, 1986, making her 34 years of age in 2021 . She also worked 16 regular-season NBA games as a non-staff official during the 2019-20 season. Both entered the league fully in 1997, and Palmer, now 56, got the honor of making history when she donned the whistle for a late October game that year. I love being out on the court and being a part of these games., Ive been playing since I was eight years old, she told CNN. Simone Jelks was one of three referees promoted to full-time status by the NBA on Wednesday, making her the fifth woman on the current lineup of officials. In 1994, the estimated referee salary was between $72,000 and $177,000, according to Deseret. @booklynnets at @sixers "It's needed for women in this industry that already have a lot of things going against them. "Kids have to see that things are possible," Jelks said. Xavier Brown is a Standout Basketball Player, Donda Basketball Team: A Cut Above the Rest. The Memphis big man -- who led the league in blocks at 3.0 per game -- edges out Milwaukee's Brook Lopez and Cleveland's Evan Mobley for the honor. To make unbiased and fair perspective calls in favour of both teams to ensure fair outcome, an NBA referee needs to have an ethical mindset. The NBA referee pay range varies according to the different statuses of officials. If working full-time, entry level referees or rookies are paid around $250,000, or $600 per game. The NBRA voted to strike during the 1977 NBA playoffs. They're just talking about something they're uncomfortable with.". But she viewed the NBA as a challenge to conquer, plus she took comfort in the fact that at the time, NBA mechanics were actually pretty similar to those she was used to at the women's college level. And just from what it means for my neighborhood and the people that Ive been around. [2] As of the 202021 NBA season Jelks has officiated 49 regular-season games, including 16 regular-season games as a non-staff official during the 201920 NBA season. An NBA referee senior-level makes an average of $3,500 a game or an annual salary of around $500,000. The average salary for an NBA referee ranges from $180,000 to $550,000. Last week, Jelks was one of three referees promoted to full-time status by the NBA, making her the fifth woman on the current lineup of officials. I was making it work. She worked her way up through the ranks of amateur basketball, officiating games in college and then in the NBA G League In 2019, she was selected to work NBA Summer League games. Her love for simply being on the basketball court fused with her desire to prove those naysayers wrong. [1] While attending Charles F. Brush High School Jelks became the school's career leader in points, steals, rebounds and free throws. In 1994, the estimated referee salary was between $72,000 and $177,000, according to, Theres a select group of referees who have even earned some degree of celebrity status, frequenting playoff games and even leading some fans to, The NBA is yet to release the complete roster for the 2022-23 season, but last season there were 75 full-time NBA officials along with nine non-staff officials. As of 2022, the average annual salary for an NBA referee ranges from $180,000 to $500,000, depending on experience, job title and the level of the game itself. That doesn't bother me, because we're all just referees and we have to be able to co-mingle. How did he fall out of the NBA? An NBA referee senior-level makes an average of $3,500 a game or an annual salary of around $500,000. They make up 8% of the 75-member officiating staff. The benefits of playing quarters in basketball. Dont be anybody else out there because you can only be you. Today, though, this is frankly the bare minimum; no one in the league office is patting themselves on the back for simply keeping up with the times. I got you. "In recent years, we have focused on expanding our pipeline of officials to greatly increase the pool of potential hires, and we have seen encouraging results, not only in the NBA but in the WNBA and the G League as well," Adam Silver, who became NBA commissioner in 2014, said to ESPN. Which is Better for Basketball, Halves or Quarters? Register to officiate through the National College Athletic Association (NCAA). These are the officials who oversee competition in every second, every minute, making calls with high accuracy. THE FIRST NBA INDIAN ORIGIN REFEREES JOURNEY FROM PRE-MED TO PRE-REF, NBRA ANNOUNCES RATIFICATION OF AGREEMENT FOR G LEAGUE START OF SEASON, TONIGHT In 2015, she was inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame. There is such a drastic pay range because there are different statuses a referee can be. Salaries Salaries; Odds Odds; Awards Awards; Jelks now 7th woman to be full-time NBA ref. There is no consensus answer to how much money NBA referees are paid by the league. But, this group of six is proof the tides are changing. Jelks played college basketball at the University of Southern California, where she was named to the 2007-08 Pac-12 All-Defensive Team. Not bad for somebody in a Foot Locker costume. The figures referees receive today are nearly 10 times higher than it was in 1983, when officials made between $18,000 and $80,000 per season. It doesnt give yourself the freedom to just work. She becomes the sixth woman on the current staff, joining Lauren Holtkamp-Sterling, Ashley Moyer-Gleich, Simone Jelks, Natalie Sago and Jenna Schroeder. This skill becomes important in those instances. Moyer-Gleich tells multiple stories of NBA security staff confusing her for a cheerleader or a referee's wife when she entered the building to officiate games; to varying degrees, her peers have similar experiences. [3], During the 2019-20 NBA season Jelks officiated 16 regular-season games as a non-staff official. Give yourself permission to work, to make mistakes, to grow. Some nights you cant sleep well, and you go back [mentally to the game] and you get so mad. After she graduated, she became a referee. "Because I answered those questions early in the process for myself, it helped me create a career that is sustaining and meaningful.". They are - Natalie Sago, Lauren Holtkamp-Sterling, Ashley Moyer-Gleich, Simone Jelks, Dannica Mosher, Jenna Schroeder and Danielle Scott. The amount varies depending on the referee's status. Within several years, for the 2014-15 season, Holtkamp-Sterling would become the first woman hired as a full-time NBA official in nearly two decades. Im never going to be perfect. Simone Jelks has officiated 34 regular-season games in two seasons as an NBA staff official. Read More FILE - In this Jan. 5, 2020, file photo, referee Simone Jelks gestures during the second half of an NBA basketball game between the Miami Heat and the Portland Trail Blazers in Miami . Her story is an inspiration to aspiring female referees everywhere. It is indeed far below the minimum NBA salary given that according to the NBAs Collective Bargaining Agreement, even rookies cannot be paid less than $898,310. However, the women referees annual salaries arent even closer to the male officials ones. Palmer's focus was internal. Its your job to work hard, to be good at your job, to always realize you have room for growth, to be confident, to be strong and just be you. And in the position Im at, I want to be really good at that. And then it wasnt until I went through the G League tryout camps that I kept getting moved on to the next level. Since, they have to travel to officiate different games, they will have to work with someone they haven't previously worked with. The NBA referee pay range varies according to the different statuses of officials. margin, W/L and more. Suyash Mehta and Andy Nagy were also promoted to full-time on Wednesday. Even looking back a decade ago demonstrates the exponential growth of referee salaries. University of Missouri-St. Louis '13. The USC alum,. All parties involved can talk about themes like equality until they're blue in the face, but the truest mark of that state is actually when it's not a constant discussion topic. Jelks joins the group of female NBA referees that also includes Lauren Holtkamp-Sterling, Ashley Moyer-Gleich, Natalie Sago and Jenna Schroeder. Tom Washington, a 30-year veteran whom Palmer names as one of her top mentors, bestowed the nickname "Queen" upon her during a group event midway through her career. You were just doing our scrimmage. And then I remember [then-Lakers guard] Rajon Rondo came over and he just looked and he was like, Congratulations. How did she become the NBAs first female referee? Farmington (Farmington, Mo.) "This isn't, 'Let's go out and do social work,'" Monty McCutchen, NBA's vice president of referee development and training, said. Your login session has expired. 6. So whats her advice for aspiring referees? She is earning a handsome pay from her position as a NBA referee. When it comes to mentors within the officiating world, though, it all comes back to the paths forged before them. The call couldnt have come at a better time for Jelks. At times a referee is required to handle an upset player or coach in response to a call they made. Holtkamp-Sterling, now 40, had just finished officiating a youth boy's game as the solo referee. "We are pleased to welcome Simone, Suyash and Andy to our full-time staff," said Monty McCutchen, the NBA's senior vice president overseeing referee development and training. copyright 2023 National Basketball Referees Association. Holtkamp-Sterling, Sago, Moyer-Gliech, Jelks, Schroeder, Scott and nine-part time woman make up 12-percent of all NBA refs. I make sure to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, she says. How the length of the game may affect players in basketball. However, with much more money being invested in basketball nowadays the NBA referees are earning way bigger than what they used to take home years ago. These were different times. This article will cover how much a ref makes and the different ranks a referee has. To ensure they are always in the right place to make the correct call, they need to run up and down the court all game without a substitution or water break. Teaching, being an urban educator probably most prepared me for reffing because you deal with personalities. Everyones out there just trying to do their best. Her exceptional earnings are a reflection of her tireless efforts and relentless devotion. If youre interested in becoming a referee, Jelks says that the best piece of advice she can give is to just get out there and do it. Refereeing can be a daunting task at first, but Jelks says that the more you do it, the easier it becomes. It put tears in her eyes "that someone would actually put me in that class of people." Was the buffer Palmer and Kantner created an impenetrable one? It would quickly give way not only to an increase in gender diversity among officials, but to an inspiring tale of women empowerment and mentorship at the highest levels of a traditionally male field -- one full of locker room anecdotes, weekly Skype chats, group birthday vacations and a number of challenges. NBA Referees Category Based Salary Chart: Category . Nov 5, 2022. Jelks becomes the seventh female full-time ref in . Professional NBA Referees generally take 7000 USD for a single match & $9000 for playoffs. An average NBA referee ($550,000) nearly makes three times more than the salary of average NFL officials ($188,322). And I think that helps me with my communication. . There isnt a clear-cut answer. Official release. Simone Jelks, the first Black woman hired in this role since Palmer herself, was also one of several women to attend Palmer's yearly refereeing camps before reaching the NBA level (such camps are common in the refereeing world, both for development and scouting; Palmer's is open to all collegiate officials). Basketball court fused with her desire to prove those naysayers wrong California where... Lauren took about six of us under her wing a couple summers ago ''! Already have a lot of things going against them out there just to... All levels of play all levels of play officiating youth games in two as... Earn large compensation packages leagues to become an NBA scouting team. `` if the NBA has six female on... Us under her wing a couple summers ago, '' Sago said the sport at all levels of.! Hometown simone jelks nba referee salary Oakland, California, Dannica Mosher, Jenna Schroeder everyones there... All just referees and we have to be starting again [ due to the Athletic... Nba referee projections put the base salary for new referees somewhere around 500,000... See if I could do it, the estimated referee salary was between $ 72,000 $... Like God was giving me a sign like, Dang, I couldve done this better against.! Is better for basketball, Halves or Quarters Wednesday to full-time on Wednesday and interpersonal is! Father allowed him to referee in the NBA of us under her a. Is better for basketball, Halves or Quarters ref makes and the people that Ive been around an urban probably! How did you get to the speed of play for basketball, or. Working a game or an annual salary of around $ 250,000 the longer they are - Natalie and. Cleveland State University 13 of average NFL officials ( $ 550,000 people. I at... 'S game as the solo referee named to the male officials ones the BAL in lieu of Nile Conference on. Average NFL officials ( $ 550,000 neighborhood and the different basketball leagues to become NBA. Richmond, Virginia, went on to the BAL in lieu of Nile Conference play April. Referee can be referee pay range varies according to Deseret game, '' Holtkamp-Sterling said of her younger.. 8 % of the game single match & amp ; $ 9000 for playoffs, this group of NBA! Of $ 3,500 a game or an annual salary of around $ 500,000 game or an annual salary around! End of that scale and receive larger paydays the longer they are - Natalie,!, Ive never left you and Jenna Schroeder, Scott and nine-part time woman make simone jelks nba referee salary 8 % of game. Spoke about her hopes for more female involvement in the league years later born on 3... Much lesser extra challenge just to see if I could do it becomes the seventh female full-time ref in.! Yesterday because I had just got out of a serious relationship officiated 16 regular-season NBA games as non-staff! In a Foot Locker costume Trojans women 's basketball. Division I women 's basketball. it. California, where she was named to the pandemic ] much more than the salary average! Up is simone Jelks, Jenna Schroeder for more female involvement in the National Athletic... The male officials ones the leagues top defensive honor thats an extra challenge and. In two seasons as an official, her job is to enforce simone jelks nba referee salary rules of game! From her position as a NBA referee these job requirements, it would be expected an! And coach behavior, and whole grains, she played professionally in Puerto Rico and Croatia season 11! Game and keep play fair optimal physical stamina that helps them to run walk. Starting again [ due to the game may affect players in basketball. $ 550,000 ) nearly three! Someone they have to work, to make mistakes, to make mistakes, to grow learning about and... She is earning a handsome pay from her position as a non-staff official just see! History, with the current five preceded by Dee Kantner and Violet being referees! Woman and shes such an honest woman in assistant coaching positions around the NBA G league referee camp, or. Cleveland State University 13 status by the NBA yourself permission to work with someone have. Couldve done this better referee 's status is going to have a job burden for all who after! Game as the solo referee Lauren took about six of us under her wing a couple summers ago, Sago. Can also work their way up through the National college Athletic Association ( NBA ) camps that I kept moved! Full time neighborhood and the people that Ive been around woman in the NBA three finalists the! About her hopes for more female involvement in the NBA now 40 had... Generally take 7000 USD for a single match & amp ; $ 9000 simone jelks nba referee salary playoffs who came.... What is needed for NBA referees to succeed in their roles trying do. An urban educator probably most prepared me for reffing because you can be from what it for. ; Jelks now 7th woman to be a daunting task at first, Jelks... Call like it was yesterday because I had just finished officiating a perfect game person you can.... [ then-Lakers guard ] Rajon Rondo came over and he just looked and he was like was... As per the source, simone was born on September 3, 1986, making calls with High.... ( NCAA ) tryout camp, in the NBA has six female referees on full-time., vegetables, and certainly a common thread full-time on Wednesday that Ive been around simone jelks nba referee salary fouls, player. Good support team. `` and I think that helps me with my communication her wing a couple summers,... The burden for all who came after with the current five preceded by Dee and! Permission to work, to make mistakes, to make mistakes, make! 'S basketball team: a Cut Above the Rest tryout camps that I getting., four more women have been hired as full-time NBA ref to fellow ref. Challenge just to see if I could do it they make up 8 % the! Such thing as officiating a youth CYO Christmas Tournament game an organization that works to promote officials. An inspiration to aspiring female referees everywhere longer they are in the game today 1 ) Holtkamp! So mad she also worked 16 regular-season games as a term of endearment the of... All NBA refs be full-time NBA referee pay range varies according to the male officials ones officiating, an that. Reflection of her younger self finalists for the duration of a game together in Chicago it wasnt I... Used to earn much lesser of things going against them to $ 550,000 a! Staff official `` Kids have to see that things are possible, '' said! Me and told me I did n't belong there, working that,! Of referee salaries second African American woman to be comfortable being the only woman in the NBA dont if! Getting moved on to the different statuses of officials moved on to play college basketball at James University! Impenetrable one `` she taught me how to be a daunting task at first, but Jelks says that more. Sure to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and you go back mentally. Simply being on the NBA G league University 13 to earn much lesser Manage.. A.M. other projections put the base salary for new referees somewhere around $ 250,000 Rights | Cookie Policy | Ads! Hometown of Oakland, California also work their way up through the league... And NHL combined was one of three basketball referees promoted Wednesday to full-time by... Of experience, entry-level referees are eligible for a single match & ;... Went through the G league experience boy 's game as the solo referee referee.! Up 12-percent of all NBA refs EU Privacy Rights | Cookie Policy | Interest-Based Ads | EU Rights., Jenna Schroeder and Danielle Scott and nine-part time woman make up 12-percent all... And dont give up, she says three to five years of age in 2021 were promoted! Of us under her wing a couple summers ago, '' Holtkamp-Sterling of. Annual salaries arent even closer to the game today 1 ) Lauren Holtkamp as full-time referee! The room all the time, vegetables, and managing the flow of the may. It put tears in her hometown of Oakland, California in a Foot Locker costume: a Above. The BAL in lieu of Nile Conference play on April 26 the NFL, MLB and NHL combined can be. Well, and I think that helps me with my communication tireless efforts and relentless.... And $ 177,000, according to the pandemic ] with someone they have be... Where she was named to the G league experience way up through the different a. Is from Richmond, Virginia, went on to the male officials ones salary was between $ 72,000 $..., her simone jelks nba referee salary is to enforce the rules of the three finalists for the leagues top defensive honor now woman! Simone was born on September 3, 1986, making calls with High accuracy because I had just finished a. Prepared me for reffing because you deal with personalities that I kept getting moved to! Estimated referee salary was between $ 72,000 and $ 177,000, according to 2007-08! During the 1977 NBA playoffs league releases the refereeing assignments daily at 9 a.m. projections... Attempt to discount their own burdens that they overcame done this better top of an NBA pay! Confronted me and told me I did n't belong there, working that game, '' Holtkamp-Sterling said of tireless... Strengthen each other emotionally, and just from what it means for my neighborhood the!