The road to gender equality in sports, especially basketball, has been a long one with many hurdles to overcome, but things are finally starting to get better. WNBA player salaries are rising, and thanks to rookies like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, the league's popularity is at an all-time high. The WNBA has always been a model for executive diversity, and while the NBA's front offices are far from gender equal, more teams are hiring female executives with each passing season. On the court, women make up only a small percentage of the refereeing staff, but their numbers are growing; there are currently eight full-time female referees in the NBA. There is one non-binary player and 65 men, the most women on the roster in league history.
Four-season veteran Simone Jelks sums up her history-making role as one of those officials in four simple words: “We're the best!” With the NBA Finals starting tonight between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks, Jelks and her fellow NBA referees spoke about working in a male-dominated profession, championing equality in and out of the arena, and the pressures of playing in front of a very, er, crowd of 20,000 people. Dogmatic NBA fans scream at you on a regular basis.
On the unprecedented rise of women in basketball
Danica Mosher: It's about time! The referees have a different job. We have eight of them here, and you can see them on the court. But what about behind the scenes in the NBA? Senior executives, team executives. It would be nice to have a female coach, I know that. [former assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs] Becky [Hammon] It's been on the table for a little while. There's a lot more we can do, but we love this moment. Maybe it started with us.
Natalie Sago: Name recognition is important. This draft was amazing. There were so many great names, including Caitlin Clark, Camila Cardozo, and Angel Reese. My best friend has two daughters, and they always ask me, “Mom, when is Caitlin Clark playing?” I have a lot of friends who are referees in the WNBA, so it's nice to see them getting attention too. I'm glad they have the time to shine, and I hope they continue to do so.
Simone Jelks: It was probably the first time in years that my boyfriend switched seats to watch a women's game while an NBA game was on.
On finding peace in chaos
Sharay Mitchell: To be honest, the hardest part was getting my guys to trust me. They've been in the league for 20 or 30 years. I need them to know what I'm doing. And the only way to do that is to put in the work. There's no other way. So, to be honest, the first year was tough.
Lauren Holtkamp Sterling: I remember being amazed at the speed of play in the early games. I worked in the G League. [the NBA’s minor league] I worked in the WNBA for six years, four seasons, and the training is exceptional, but when I stepped on the court that first year, everything was really fast. [I had to acclimate to] The speed of processing and decision making, being on a big stage, plus the feeling of 20,000 people rushing at our crew and at me as the referee, was insane. But there's also the exhilaration of having 20,000 people involved in what's going on on the court. As a referee, you have to remember to stick to your training and find a place where you can relax.
Daniel Scott: I started refereeing during the COVID pandemic, so there were no fans. That was a big thing for me to get used to. When the fans came back to the arenas, I was very nervous and excited at first, but as I refereed more games, my feelings calmed down.
The toughest challenges and biggest rewards of being a female NBA referee
Jenna Schroeder: Umpires are under a lot of scrutiny in general, especially on social media and by commentators. We are the ones to blame because everyone wants to blame others for their problems. I have a really good therapist. I think everyone should have one. It helps. There's something exhilarating about going into the arena with thousands of people. You can't get that feeling anywhere else.
NS: The impact I can have on others is something that still fascinates me. [When] While I'm warming up, little girls and boys run along the sidelines and take pictures with me. circleHey, does anyone want to take a photo with me? The fan attacks are tough, but they're also a fun part of the job. It's what drives me. When you're running around with the best athletes in the world, sometimes you have to stop and think. Wow, this is amazing..
Ashley Moyer Gleich: I don't know if you all know that we've been on the road for six months. We're on the road six days a week. The players and the team play 50 percent of our games at home. Normally, 99 percent of our games are on the road and I miss being with my family. [We miss] Celebrating milestones and birthdays. It's hard work and I think that's the hardest part, but the best part is being a role model. [for our families]My mother is my best friend and she is so proud of me.
SJ: I love that my dad talks about me to his golfing buddies. They might be tired of him talking about me, but my parents are so happy. They've been my supporters all this time, and to see that they're still so proud of their 38-year-old daughter is what makes this job so rewarding. I also live in inner-city Cleveland and was a teacher here. [former] Students in prison are on the streets. I told some of them I quit teaching because I wanted to be an NBA referee, and they were like, “Yeah, I get it, Mr. Jelks.” Now I meet them and they're like, “Oh, you really did that!” Some of them are in prison and they watch me on TV.
DM: I was close to becoming a nurse. I don't hold people's lives in my hands, but I'm a basketball referee, so that's probably the best thing about it. Of course, there's a lot of pressure, but it's not a life-or-death kind of pressure.
On the physical side of refereeing and the importance of a good support system
DM: There's no better way to prepare for the NBA than through on-court experience. The more experience you have, the more comfortable you'll be. I'm only in my second year. [of being a ref]So it's still very uncomfortable. I don't know what it'll be like in year 10, but I think it'll be a little easier. I still have a lot to learn and a lot of room to grow.
SM: Training is different for everyone because everyone has a different journey. I started umpiring because of my 9-year-old twins. Before I was an umpire, I was a mother. I started umpiring because I wanted to be in shape. You need a certain level of fitness to be on the court. So I enjoyed the process, but I think you need more mental training. The physical part, you have to be able to run, go up and down the court, maintain a certain weight. But the mental part, nothing prepares you for the pressure that comes from that. I remember the first time I went to Madison Square Garden, I called Carry On. [Knicks guard] With Jalen Brunson was Carrying it—but how? [the fans] It fell on me and I thought I was going to die. Oh man, they're coming after me after this game. My life is over.Nothing prepares you for that.
AMG: I can run 20 miles a day in the summer, but when I go to practice in October for the first preseason game, I feel like I've been hit by a train. There's nothing like running up and down the court with NBA players. For us as mothers, it's hard on our kids and our families. It's a long road for sure, but it helps if we can rely on each other and have a support system of women who are going through the same thing.
SJ: I moved up in the league pretty quickly without ever officiating in the WNBA. [worked] I played three seasons in the G League. I know human nature and I've been around competitive guys for a long time, so it's been hard for me. The only way to deal with it is to work hard. When I was younger, I listened to female pastors preach to prepare myself spiritually. I'm also a very family-oriented person. I'm not looking forward to coming back. [from maternity leave]Now that I have a baby, I get to spend every minute with my son. I say to my mother, “Maybe I should take him on a trip once a week,” and she says, “Simone, calm down. We'll figure it out.” But I'm worried about it, because I think the coming season will be very difficult for me.
On keeping each other in check during the NBA season
JS: We have a group text thread and try to support each other as much as we can. [referees] Men go through things they don't have to deal with. Like, “Go back to the kitchen.” And text threads can also be used for get-togethers. I live in Detroit, so if someone's in Detroit and I'm home, I can make dinner. I was in Atlanta recently and I went to Lauren's house and she made me lunch. It's little things like this that make a difference. It can get really lonely on the road. I was just telling Natalie that I don't have enough Delta SkyMiles because I'm always taking my family to the games. I'm out of SkyMiles!
SJ: We're all different. Lauren will reach out. She leaves six voicemails. Sometimes I call back, sometimes I don't. I'm the loner of the group. I don't reach out much, but I will if I think it's something serious. I think it's great that we're all different. We all turn to different people for different reasons, at different times.
DM: There will definitely be moments when you need to support each other and be there for each other when needed.
At the end of the fourth quarter
DM: Well, I'm not afraid to say that I love drinking wine. [a game].
JS: Well, to be honest, I think I'll be at the bar or something with the whole staff. I don't usually go to bed before 1am because it takes me a long time to get my mind together.
AMG: Before my son was born, I was a big fan of reality TV, but now I'm obsessed with the Food Network. Defeat Bobby Flay. I had seen it before Grey's Anatomy I watch it over and over again, I must have watched every season hundreds of times.
On being just the second woman to officiate a playoff game
AMG: Being able to officiate a playoff game just gives other guys an opportunity. [female referees]We want to keep the doors open for everyone else, which is a big thing.
These interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity.
