Basketball: Young Kiwi ref Ryan Jones presides over NBA summer tourney

Wellington Saints' Tai Wesley argues with referee Ryan Jones during the NBL match between Wellington Saints and Southland Sharks. Photo/Photosport

By Grant Chapman

NBA Summer League offers a smorgasbord of basketball skills, but not limited to just playing talent.

So, while Tall Blacks guards Corey and Tai Webster tried to secure contracts on the game's most hyped stage, and NZ Breakers coach Paul Henare went import shopping for the coming Australian NBL season, another Kiwi went about his work largely unnoticed under the searing Las Vegas spotlight.

And that's probably the way young Auckland referee Ryan Jones would have it. The best game officials are the ones no-one talks about afterwards.

Jones presided over one of the week-long tournament's most exciting contests - an 82-81 Toronto Raptors win over Denver Nuggets that could have gone either way down the stretch.

With 14 seconds remaining, he had to weigh in on a decision that could have extended the game, when second-year Nuggets forward Juan Hernangomez was fouled in the act of shooting.

Jones and his team consulted, confirmed that he was beyond the arc and sent the Spaniard to the free-throw line for three shots. Hernangomez missed the first, and that was the difference between losing and overtime.

Another sign that Jones did a good job - he couldn't tell you which famous names were sitting in the crowd watching, although there were undoubtedly many.

The tournament is used by NBA teams to assimilate their newly drafted rookies and evaluate undrafted prospects, so games are attended by some of the biggest names in the game, including current stars.

"To be honest, I wasn't looking up and down the sideline - I was focused on the game," he says. "More than likely there would have been quite a few celebrities watching.

"The pressure was quite immense, really. You had to try and block out the fact that you're effectively refereeing in the NBA, the top professional league in the world.

"There are thousands of people and media and cameras everywhere ... everyone scrutinising every call you make, so of course there's a lot of pressure, but you try and treat it like another game. You have to go out there, and trust in the training and work you've done in the lead-up.

"It was a real eye-opener."

Jones received this unique opportunity as part of his career development through basketball's world body (FIBA) and the NBA's determination to extend its global. He received his international badge three years ago and is currently on the fringes of the Australian NBL.

The Air Force ground support engineering technician, based at Whenuapai, will have two immediate chance to show the benefits of his NBA stint, when he officiates at next week's FIBA U19 Women's World Cup in Italy, followed by FIBA Asia Cup in Beirut, where the NZ Tall Blacks will also participate next month.