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Natalie Sago becomes 3rd woman ever picked to referee NBA playoff games
The selection makes Sago the third woman in NBA history to work postseason games, with officials chosen on season-long evaluations.
- On Monday, the NBA announced its 36-person playoff officiating roster, naming Natalie Sago as the third woman in league history selected for postseason work, following Violet Palmer and Ashley Moyer-Gleich.
- Sago received the news Saturday from Albert Sanders, the NBA executive who runs referee operations, while arriving at the airport in Salt Lake City. She initially feared a phone call meant she had made a mistake during a recent game in Utah.
- A veteran of more than 400 NBA games, Sago joins Jason Goldenberg as one of two first-time playoff selections to the staff this season.
- Sago's first assignment will be the 12th for a woman in NBA playoff history. She said, "I just want us all to be NBA referees," emphasizing gender should not define her role.
- Monty McCutchen, who oversees referee development for the NBA, stated that selection criteria prioritize training and trust rather than gender. The league assesses performance throughout the season to identify qualified officials for playoff assignments.
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Total News Sources14
Leaning Left9Leaning Right0Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution69% Left
Bias Distribution
- 69% of the sources lean Left
69% Left
L 69%
C 31%
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