Official (basketball)

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In basketball, an official (usually called a referee) enforces the rules and maintains order in the game. The title of official also applies to the scorers and timekeepers, as well as other personnel that have an active task in maintaining the game. Basketball is regarded as among the most difficult sports to officiate due to the speed of play, complexity of rules, the case-specific interpretations of rules, and the instantaneous decision required.

There is one lead referee and one or two umpires, depending on whether there is a two- or three-person crew. In the NBA, the lead official is called the crew chief with one referee and one umpire.^[1] In FIBA-sanctioned play, two-person crews consist of a crew chief and an umpire, and three-person crews contain a crew chief and two umpires.

Regardless, both classes of officials have equal rights to control almost all aspects of the game. In most cases, the lead official (in FIBA, the crew chief) performs the jump ball to begin the contest, though NFHS, NCAA, and the NBA, have allowed the referee to designate which official (referee or umpire; in the NBA: crew chief, referee, or umpire) shall perform the jump ball.