Richard Jefferson debuts as NBA referee, gets booed after his first call / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: AFP-Scanpix Credit AFP-Scanpix

A 17-year NBA veteran Richard Jefferson officiated in the second quarter of the Summer League game between the New York Knicks and Portland Trail Blazers.

Richard Jefferson

Position:SFAge:42Height:201 cmWeight:102 kgBirth place:United States of AmericaProfileNewsStatistics

The former NBA champion (2016) and ESPN analyst is trying his capabilities in a different career just to accumulate the experience.

Jefferson had attended daily officiating meetings in Las Vegas to prepare for his new role on the court, and he explained on Twitter before the game why he was doing it:

However, the referee debut was not the easiest one for the 42-year-old.

Richard Jefferson's first call as an NBA referee was out of bounds, but he called it in favor of New York instead of Portland and received boos from the stands. Another official overturned the call.

One more newbie mistake came when RJ forgot to signal a made three-point bucket.

After his short-term stint, Jefferson admitted he still has a lot to learn in this position but he seems willing to try it again next year.

"I will come back to Summer League next year and attend class," Jefferson said as he joined the broadcast crew.

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