The National Basketball Association (NBA) League of the US has got its first-ever full time Indian-origin referee in Suyash Mehta.
In an official announcement made by the league, Mehta was one of three referees to be promoted to full-time NBA staff officials alongside Simone Jelks and Andy Nagy.
Mehta, who hails from Baltimore, Maryland, has been included on the roster for the 2020-21 season which started on Tuesday.
The Indian-origin referee has already officiated five seasons in the NBA G League. During the 2019 20 NBA season, he refereed 13 regular-season NBA games as a “non-staff official”.
Mehta — whose parents are from India and moved to the US in the 1980s — also has coaching experience at various collegiate levels including the Atlantic 10, Big South, Colonial Athletic Association, Conference USA, NCAA Division III and junior college officiating experience.
NBA G League referees Simone Jelks, Suyash Mehta and Andy Nagy have been promoted to full-time @NBA staff officials, it was announced today by Monty McCutchen, NBA Senior Vice President, Head of Referee Development and Training. pic.twitter.com/yaosBWGnki
— NBA Official (@NBAOfficial) December 23, 2020
“We are pleased to welcome Simone (Jelks), Suyash and Andy (Nagy) to our full-time staff,” said Monty McCutchen, NBA Senior Vice President, Head of Referee Development and Training in a statement.
“They have demonstrated through the growth and the quality of their performance, they warrant working NBA games on a regular basis,” McCutchen added.
Jelks joins Lauren Holtkamp-Sterling, Ashley Moyer-Gleich, Natalie Sago and Jenna Schroeder as full-time female officials for the 2020-21 season.
IANS
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