All-Access with NBA Referee Monty McCutchen

On any given night, The primary goal of an NBA Official is to call a clean game and blend into the background.
But did you ever wonder exactly how a referee goes about doing his job?
We did- so we asked 20-year veteran official Monty McCutchen to give us an inside look, during a recent game in Sacramento. Visit nba.com/video for more highlights.
About the NBA:
The NBA is the premier professional basketball league in the United States and Canada. The league is truly global, with games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 47 languages, as well as rosters that currently feature 85 international players from 36 countries and territories. For the 2012-13 season, each of the league's 30 teams will play 82 regular-season games, followed by a postseason for those that qualify.
The NBA consists of the following teams: Atlanta Hawks; Boston Celtics; Brooklyn Nets; Charlotte Bobcats; Chicago Bulls; Cleveland Cavaliers; Dallas Mavericks; Denver Nuggets; Detroit Pistons; Golden State Warriors; Houston Rockets; Indiana Pacers; Los Angeles Clippers; Los Angeles Lakers; Memphis Grizzlies; Miami Heat; Milwaukee Bucks; Minnesota Timberwolves; New Orleans Hornets; New York Knicks; Oklahoma City Thunder; Orlando Magic; Philadelphia 76ers; Phoenix Suns; Portland Trail Blazers; Sacramento Kings; San Antonio Spurs; Toronto Raptors; Utah Jazz; Washington Wizards.
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For more information, as well as all the latest NBA news and highlights, log onto the league's official website at www.NBA.com
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[@FFreggie7]

respect for this ref

[@West_87]

Monty McCutchen is one of the best in the business.

[@carryeveryday910]

Yup same for Joey

[@danielsworld8832]

Adam Byrnes don’t forget Danny Crawford.....

[@doctorvladandhisbluejaysd2802]

Petey Dimez he meant new joey

[@harrysastrawan]

@@doctorvladandhisbluejaysd2802 there's another ref named Joey?

[@doctorvladandhisbluejaysd2802]

Harry Sastrawan The Joey Crawford after the Tim Duncan tech

[@tophercheese1]

Monty McCutchen is a great referee. Arguably the best in the NBA currently.

[@AFunkyFresh1]

Ya I'd have to agree he's toward the top of best NBA refs. He treats men like men.

[@davidcurtis5398]

After 27 years of high school, college, and eventually FIBA work, I appreciate just what this man has said. I wish I could takl to him sometime.

[@traviserhardt5521]

David Curtis eventually lol. Are you even an official????

[@hAvan4LyFe]

This is the referee who helped fix the Lakers vs Golden State game.

[@avidpanda7968]

finally a ref video. officiating is a hard job and now finally, everyone can see how hard it is.

[@jrod5143]

Im glad a ref is praised instead of a player this time. They have such a hard job and almost never get recognission

[@italianpistonsfan]

I love those behind-the-scenes with refs, I'd like to see more of them because they clearly show how refs are just human beings like us, which is something some fans are too dumb to understand since they hate on them regardless, whether they get a call right or not. Great video!

[@clayroundtree4776]

Went to school with this guy ......great person

[@StudioVille]

more of these videos! These are dope!

[@jercubsfan]

This was really cool. Keep this types of videos coming!

[@chaimra89]

We need more people that are passionate about their jobs like Monty in this world.

[@CornAssy]

This guy is awesome!

[@tuosje]

The most underrated job!

[@FHNhockey37]

Officiating is such a thankless job in any sport. I love videos like this that give you a different perspective on the game.

[@J7lh22]

Awesome inside vid thanks

[@heintzj89]

Such a cool video. Would love to see more like this.

[@wabaki4]

please do more of this

[@aussiesurfer805]

loved the way this guy described the role that players, coaches and refs have in the game ...

[@kpLefty]

You should write a book because your words are full of wisdom. No joke, you're one of the people that actually understand the game of basketball. (:

[@Leon1234021]

As he says “Spectacular competition”... Kings at Hornets lol so spectacular

[@insidecrunch3505]

Every game in The NBA is a big game... He's done plenty of Finals over his years of officiating in the NBA and is arguably the best at his work...

[@airbusandboeing2]

A lot of people need to watch a video on refereeing philosophies and methods. The rules are set in black an white but on the court, officials take other factors into consideration. What i'm trying to say is that you might not think s call is right at face value, however these guys are professionals and almost all the calls they make are right.

[@brendancalloway4313]

No. Lol good try

[@Jackwhoknows]

When a referee unequally calls the rules in favor of superstars, handicapping small-market and rebuilding teams? That, to me, is making almost all the right calls.

[@jayjiang92]

i want more of these

[@sweetR]

Respect

[@jannab128]

All nba games should be reffed by Monty, Ed Malloy and Zach Zarba. ;)

[@gasasmk]

Amazing

[@adamenglish1154]

This ref has a great point of view and I like it

[@lukepusey8858]

I have a lot of respect for this ref

[@TheRacistApricot]

looks like he genuinely enjoys his job

[@bucketsssssss744]

respect

[@cheekzrhot]

I like this guy

[@Gabriel-vi7nl]

Monty is an awesome Referee

[@rugby08champ]

I don't know about anybody else but, I love hearing what goes on during a basketball game on court.

[@TheAmazingallan]

Referees are a lot more laid back than they seem

[@Sounditoutahhwet]

Awesome video! Forreals.

[@funnyhooper3]

I like these.

[@halesma2]

great video

[@kaijunaut1954]

I was at this game and thought this referee crew did an outstanding job...the younger ref with Monty (#34) is a solid young official...I've seen about 20 games that he's done and he officiates what he sees, doesn't anticipate calls and doesn't play favorites: very refreshing.

[@duvic9885]

Respect +1

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Mad respect for this ref after watching the video.

[@isaacgarcia114]

Give this man a medal......

[@elituray]

Brilliant video. Does anybody know if there are any documentaries about professional sports refs?

[@de3th]

this was pretty cool

[@BelguteiFly]

So they go in the locker, watch the videos amd say " good, lets keep giving Kobe phantom calls"

[@Bernardchui123]

"sarcasm wouldnt work isaiah, im tellin ya, im tellin ya!"

[@swtdreams416]

Interesting they posted this before the crucial lakers-rockets game tonight

[@AELifestyles]

Do another one of these

[@MrJ1S]

kid's just chillin there.....in a fitted....and luchador mask....ain no thang

[@ethansherman128]

who knew refereeing could be so fun

[@jsmoovemaneuver3702]

Referee of the year

[@DaveB]

I'd be interested in seeing this, too!

[@flynikes12]

i saw the thumbnail and thought the ref had a camera in his arms and was having a field day with it

[@ondramedek6627]

Hard work! :)

[@stealthmintblue]

cool video!!

[@dsc7718]

nice to see a referee's point of view.

[@bigstick922]

I liked this.

[@slim4L]

The timing of now posting a Monty McCutchen video by the NBA is absolutely strange.

[@kirklazarus1426]

Ahh man. There is Isiah Thomas before he was an all star.

[@iyquc]

Okay, thanks. Just to clarify, I wasn't putting any country down (pointing to the successes of one isn't automatically denigrating any other), I was just feeling a little hot under the collar. Hope to visit Australia some day :)

[@KEVIN-yf9ln]

the ref is like OOOHHHHhhh at 2:25

[@Nidze531]

monty really found his love

[@semtechdeck13]

The irony of this video is that DeMarcus Cousins wasn't shown once in this video complaining.

[@vballref4]

Brother come ref Vball!! You seem awesome!!

[@blubbb777]

#respect

[@qqqqqqq936]

what are you talking about ? every referee in every sport is in the position to do that .

[@harrysastrawan]

here after saw the footage of his conversation with Kobe in his last game. #MambaForever

[@Mrcabletwitch]

Now you gotta make a All access Joey Crawford...

[@KidDavid23]

They forget to add the part where he says "CALL EVERYTHING IN FAVOR OF THE LAKERS!"

[@TheJesseGladSaget]

It's about time this man gets recognized for his work. His rigging of Laker games this year have solidified him as a 'made man' in the NBA mafia circles. Congrats, company yes-man!

[@willsy90]

compared to refereeing in the premier league in england this is very impressive though, properly talking to the players and discussing decisions, accepting responsibility for errors

[@RokeorDie]

The NBA is the only professional sport where we know refs' names and their biases...

[@asdfin89]

If this was all access, youd hear the phone calls from stern before the game.

[@onemorelate]

well, that escalated quickly!

[@ilovenachos98]

excellent, now do an all-access with Joe Crawford

[@Imranistan]

Funny dude

[@whydouneedakno]

They should do Joey Crawford next, it will be all about the Lakers

[@whydouneedakno]

You can thank Stern for that... It is not the refs, it is Stern

[@forteblues10]

"The primary goal of an NBA Official is to call a clean game and blend into the background." Yeah right NBA, did you catch that Lakers/Warriors game?

[@extremestormspotterdavidS]

forteblues10 me too

[@SirosDude123456789]

They should do one on Joey Crawford.

[@Kehvoon]

Do one with Joey Crawford

[@tmilatos]

The NBA in my opinion... -"Travelling" is rarely being called, simply because it will ruin the "beauty" of the play and disappoint the fans, ESPECIALLY the home-court ones, superstars ALWAYS get away with it. If a player travels on his way to a spectacular dunk, well, you know the rule :"If it looks good it counts"... -Superstar or no, YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO RIGHT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE OFFICIATING both in the game and post game. Doing so will end you up with a pretty heavy fine. -->

[@MrHedo15]

forgetibg the part were they get a call from david stern and ask who gonna win

[@cubingforeternity4701]

0:48 nice flop

[@Benlakieman5]

nice to know he's a good ref i bet he didnt ref the last 5 games for the lakers

[@iyquc]

That may well be ;) Again, I was just telling some jerk to step off, that's all. He ticked me off. But yes, lots of great men have made lots of amazing inventions the world over. Duly acknowledged. BTW, I've been to Israel twice: 6 weeks total. LOVED it. So much history, so much to see, and so much geographical diversity in a pretty small area!

[@Mahirben3]

Naismith was Canadian. He invented the game. America just made it popular..

[@joshuakelly6128]

Probs one of the best refs in the nba

[@eznoob1v1]

I want to see All Access- Joey Crawford rigging games.

[@Thatpastaiscold]

Do one for Joe Crawford

[@mateuszmanko482]

Look at the kid in the mask at 02:37 haha

[@DrP1po]

This guy is clearly the exception to the rule ...

[@TheMrXism]

7th seed baby!

[@Redzoob]

Now thats a REF

[@MZMorgensternlovesearlobes]

it's different, bosh, james and allen all came in free agency, cp3 woulda been in a trade but i do agree that the trade to the lakers shoulda gone through

[@nateforte15]

Everyone just forgets about us canadiens.

[@iBowlerHat]

Isn't this the same guy who called a technical on somebody for staring at him?

[@JRAD897]

0:31 - 0:47 and it's also about reffing games in order to gain more money for the NBA.

[@TheJesseGladSaget]

THANK YOU!! That's all us hardcore NBA fans want is an even playing-field, but NO! They HAVE to give teams like the Laker$ preferential-treatment to make more money over anything else. Makes me SICK.

[@drowsy123]

Where are his daily meeting with David Stern, the Lakers Brass, and Kobe Bryant?