NBA Insider's Wild Take Suggests A Minimum Height Requirement For Male Referees

In his latest appearance on the "Hoop Collective' podcast, ESPN NBA insider Tim MacMahon doubled down on his take on officiating in the NBA. According to Tim, the league should institute a minimum height requirement for all male officials. The reason? To avoid the apparent "quick trigger" of men under 6 feet.

"Male referees need to have a minimum height requirement," said MacMahon on the podcast. "The short fellas have quick triggers. I'm looking at Goble, I think he's a sub-6 footer. Sub 6-foot men shouldn't be reffing NBA games. Short fellas have the Napoleon complex."

It's absurd to think about a height requirement for NBA referees, especially since none of the other major sports have such a rule. In the case of the NBA, many of their most experienced officials are under 6 feet tall or under and none have reported height as being a factor on the job. Nonetheless, the conversation around officiating has taken a new turn in recent weeks amid growing tensions between players and referees on the court.

The Problem With NBA Officiating

We shouldn't expect the NBA to set a height limit on their referees but action should be taken to bridge the gap between players and officials. Over the past few years, the league has seen a massive increase in criticism for the refs and even the players have been involved in a few altercations. As recently as this week, Nikola Jokic was involved in a chaotic scene as he was ejected from the game for merely saying a curse word. There's also the ongoing feud between Chris Paul and Scott Foster, which went viral last month after Paul revealed a personal feud between the two.

These incidents have all taken place as the league itself has undergone countless changes. With so many things different, and so much to keep track of at once, it's no wonder why so many officials have had trouble keeping up. But when it comes to ejecting guys or handing out technicals in the game, refs need to know where to draw the line so that they don't needlessly rob the fans of a chance to watch their favorite player.

Refs Need To Check Their Emotions

When it comes to officiating, the NBA has arguably the best crew in the business but it's becoming more and more common for them to get caught up in their feelings in the middle of a game. Whether it's against Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, or LeBron James, refs have shown no restraint in their willingness to keep a player under control. The NBA still has a lot of work to do in this regard, and perhaps Adam Silver will consider a change if the voices are loud enough. At the very least, he can tell the referees to be a little more patient with players going forward.

So while a height requirement is probably out of the cards for the NBA, this season could be the start of a new era in how the league calls its games. With stars being so integral to the product, they should be the last ones to get kicked from the game.