We know plenty (and some might say too much) about what basketball players are paid. Indeed, there are entire websites and editorial positions dedicated to the analysis of such eye-watering figures and how they may or may not impact a team's ability to win.
But what about the other guys on the court? No, not the coaches—the referees. Although they aren't the ones running the offense or making blocks, the NBA's officials have just as much ability to impact a game as any point guard or center. Their judgment must be swift and judicious—even when others believe it compromised—and their knowledge of the rulebook robust, so they can make potential game-changing calls on the fly. Their individual officiating styles are also typically well-documented; you probably know Bill Kennedy, for instance, because you've seen and heard him take the mic a number of times before.
Just how much does a job like that—one that is high profile in the worst ways—get you? Let's take a look:
How much do NBA referees get paid?
Unlike the league's players, NBA referee salaries typically aren't made public. The NBA and the NBA Referees Association came to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement in 2022 that will run through the 2028-29 season. And, per league policy, the terms of the agreement aren't publicly disclosed.
That said, data floating around the internet suggests that officials can earn as much as $550,000 per year, depending on their experience and seniority, while those at the start of their career might make closer to $150,000-$250,000. That is a big range, of course, but still a great payout no matter which level you're on.
If you assume that the top NBA refs are working about 60 games per season, according to information on NBAstuffer.com, that yearly number would come out to about $2,500/per game on the low end ($150,000/60=$2,500) and about $9,100/per game on the high end ($550,000/52.5=$9,167).
And yes, they are paid per game.
Do NBA referees earn bonuses?
Yes. If an NBA official is selected to work the NBA playoffs or Finals—a designation earned based on his or her performance throughout the regular season and the playoffs, respectively—they receive a financial bonus as well, according to Front Office Sports.
Who are the highest-paid NBA referees?
While figures aren't publicly available, we can assume the most senior NBA referees are the league's highest-paid. Therefore, we'd assume that officials like James Capers, Sean Corbin, Tony Brothers and Scott Foster are among that upper echelon.
Brothers and Foster have 32 years of experience, and both Corbin and Capers have 31 years, according to the National Basketball Referees Association.
Which referees are working the 2026 conference finals?
On Monday, May 18, the NBA announced the full list of officials tasked with referring the 2026 conference finals:
In alphabetical order:
- Curtis Blair
- Tony Brothers
- Nick Buchert
- James Capers
- Marc Davis
- JB DeRosa
- Mitchell Ervin
- Tyler Ford
- Scott Foster
- John Goble
- Courtney Kirkland
- Karl Lane
- Gediminas Petraitis
- Kevin Scott
- Ben Taylor
- Josh Tiven
- Justin Van Duyne
- James Williams
- Sean Wright
- Zach Zarba
Alternates: Ray Acosta, Brent Barnaky, Jacyn Goble, Ed Malloy
You can check the referee assignments for every conference finals match-up around 9:00 a.m. ET on each game day.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as How Much Money Do NBA Referees Make? Average Salaries, Bonuses and More.
