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

[@tophercheese1]

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

[@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

[@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????

[@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.

[@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

[@chaimra89]

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

[@jrod5143]

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

[@avidpanda7968]

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

[@aussiesurfer805]

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

[@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.

[@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. (:

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Mad respect for this ref after watching the video.

[@rugby08champ]

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

[@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.

[@StudioVille]

more of these videos! These are dope!

[@adamenglish1154]

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

[@Gabriel-vi7nl]

Monty is an awesome Referee

[@hAvan4LyFe]

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

[@CornAssy]

This guy is awesome!

[@TheRacistApricot]

looks like he genuinely enjoys his job

[@isaacgarcia114]

Give this man a medal......

[@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...

[@lukepusey8858]

I have a lot of respect for this ref

[@jannab128]

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

[@wabaki4]

please do more of this

[@TheAmazingallan]

Referees are a lot more laid back than they seem

[@jercubsfan]

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

[@J7lh22]

Awesome inside vid thanks

[@jayjiang92]

i want more of these

[@elituray]

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

[@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!

[@heintzj89]

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

[@swtdreams416]

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

[@ethansherman128]

who knew refereeing could be so fun

[@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

[@sweetR]

Respect

[@cheekzrhot]

I like this guy

[@702Mikelakers]

what a misleading title. it said all access but where is the part on his role in the rigging of the warriors-lakers game?

[@Nidze531]

monty really found his love

[@jsmoovemaneuver3702]

Referee of the year

[@dsc7718]

nice to see a referee's point of view.

[@MrJ1S]

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

[@flynikes12]

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

[@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 :)

[@de3th]

this was pretty cool

[@Sounditoutahhwet]

Awesome video! Forreals.

[@harrysastrawan]

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

[@BelguteiFly]

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

[@gasasmk]

Amazing

[@funnyhooper3]

I like these.

[@kirklazarus1426]

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

[@Mrcabletwitch]

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

[@AELifestyles]

Do another one of these

[@Benlakieman5]

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

[@halesma2]

great video

[@ilovenachos98]

excellent, now do an all-access with Joe Crawford

[@qqqqqqq936]

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

[@dylopillow]

Wish the whole league had refs like him, trying to have a good game

[@slim4L]

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

[@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!

[@TrentOhNo]

This was really interesting. It's pretty cool to see a refs perspective.

[@KidDavid23]

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

[@KryptoChronicutelite]

You misspelled "true".

[@whydouneedakno]

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

[@KEVIN-yf9ln]

the ref is like OOOHHHHhhh at 2:25

[@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

[@Bernardchui123]

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

[@Trillian]

Good stuff! I think the refs in all pro sports are absolutely amazing. How in the world do they Lee track if what is happening in real time? That is insanely hard

[@duvic9885]

Respect +1

[@iiUnRationaL]

because lebron bosh and allen came in free agency

[@temski89]

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

[@Kehvoon]

Do one with Joey Crawford

[@onemorelate]

well, that escalated quickly!

[@jparkerez23]

1:57 NOBODY'S gonna be arguing with this guy on a call.

[@evansmith1234]

yea i just checked its 78%

[@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.

[@semtechdeck13]

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

[@MrHedo15]

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

[@whydouneedakno]

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

[@SirosDude123456789]

They should do one on Joey Crawford.

[@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

[@Thatpastaiscold]

Do one for Joe Crawford

[@Mahirben3]

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

[@RokeorDie]

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

[@DaveB]

I'd be interested in seeing this, too!

[@nateforte15]

Everyone just forgets about us canadiens.

[@joshuakelly6128]

Probs one of the best refs in the nba

[@whydouneedakno]

You are clueless, they did not do the hack-a-Howard and when Howard was injured and missing games, the Lakers still averaged 30 FTA's a game... The league wants the Lakers to make the playoffs and the league got what they wanted

[@bigstick922]

I liked this.

[@johncenaliker123]

you probably googled it right now

[@DrP1po]

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

[@dcu21]

Next NBA All Access with Janitor

[@ondramedek6627]

Hard work! :)

[@anitaraman7796]

The refs should get credit when they make good calls. They are always criticized when they make bad calls.

[@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. -->

[@BusinessDome]

No, that was Ron Garretson on Rasheed Wallace.