Bob Delaney, the NBA’s Vice President for Referee’s Development and Performance, will no longer be overseeing the NBA’s game officials, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Instead, Delaney is being reassigned to a teaching role, joining other ex-referees.
The NBA is attempting to go a different route with its officiating, explains Wojnarowski: “The NBA has been pursuing a more data-driven and analytical management structure over the NBA’s referees, integrating searching more technology as part of its officiating program.”
According to Wojnarowski, Byron Spruell, president of league operations, has been in charge of the refereeing reform and has been: “Working to reshape the administering, training and recruitment pools of the league’s referees. He’s directing the NBA’s search, which could include a retired referee in a high-ranking management role reporting to a new director.”
Delaney refereed in the NBA from 1987 to 2011 and worked 1,182 games over the course of his career.
Delaney, 65 years old, was formerly a police officer, and is also known for co-writing a book, covert: My Years Infiltrating the Mob, about his time as an undercover agent.
In 2012, Delaney was awarded the third highest honor within the Outstanding Civilian Service Award for his contributions to the U.S. Army community.
