Korean-born Scott among 3 new NBA staff officials

NEW YORK (AFP) — South Korean-born referee Evan Scott has become the fourth NBA staff official who was born outside the United States, the league announced Wednesday.

Scott and Americans John Butler and Nate Green were all promoted to full-time NBA staff officiating positions after handling mostly games in the developmental G League, NBA vice president and head of referee development Monty McCutchen said.

“John, Nate and Evan have achieved their promotions through the quality of their officiating being at the standard for working NBA games on a regular basis,” he said.

The trio will handle NBA and G League games, as do all NBA referees with fewer than four years of experience in order to develop as crew chiefs and gain experience.

Scott, who was born in Taejon and came to the United States when he was four months old, worked nine NBA regular-season games last season.

He has also spent five seasons officiating college games and three seasons handling G League games.

Butler has worked two Women’s NBA campaigns and five G League seasons, handling developmental circuit playoff games the past two years.

He also has eight years of college officiating experience and worked nine NBA games last season.

Green, a former college standout player at Indiana State who played professionally in Italy and Australia, also worked nine NBA games last season and has handled six years of college games and four in the G league.

He spent the 2000-01 season with the Canberra Cannons and five years in Italy.