NBA brings back a controversial referee

Lewis came under scrutiny in 2023 when it was discovered that he allegedly used a burner account to defend himself from critics on social media. He ultimately announced his retirement before the league’s investigation could be concluded, so no official findings were ever made public.

The NBA acknowledged in its statement that Lewis “made a mistake in engaging on social media,” seemingly confirming that the burner account was really his work. He was required to complete stress management counseling and training on responsible use of social media before he could be reinstated.

A 19-year veteran at the time of his initial retirement, Lewis was regarded as one of the NBA’s better officials, and had worked the NBA Finals for four straight years from 2019 to 2022. His history as a quality official is likely a big reason why the league was willing to welcome him back at all.