SAN ANTONIO -- Curtis Blair spent all day Friday checking his email. And Saturday. And Sunday. The list of referees that were selected to work the NBA Finals was about to be revealed by the league, and the waiting was brutal.
"Every two minutes, I'd check," Blair said.
For the first time, Curtis Blair will work a game in the NBA Finals, becoming the only first-time selection in this year's group of 12 referees who will officiate the series between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks. Carlos Osorio/Associated Press Friday, nothing. Saturday, nothing. Sunday was mostly gone and Blair was driving home from a weekend visit to his parents' home in Virginia. As he pulled into his driveway, he realized that he had missed a phone call.
The caller was Albert Sanders Jr., the executive vice president and head of referee operations for the NBA. Turns out, that call was the email that Blair had waited years to get.
Blair called Sanders back and got the news: For the first time, he'll work a game in the NBA Finals. He's the only first-time selection in this year's group of 12 referees who will officiate the title series that starts Wednesday between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks.
"Very emotional moment, very emotional moment for me, because I've been right there on the doorstep for so many years," Blair said. "Yeah, very emotional. This is my 18th year and one thing I had to realize going through this journey is that everybody has their own journey. Everybody has their own timetable. You become a referee, become an umpire, you get to the first round, the second round, third round. You just have to worry about yourself and your journey."
The league released the full list of selections on Tuesday. Scott Foster was picked to work his 19th finals, the most among current referees. The other selections besides Foster and Blair: Tony Brothers (15th finals), Marc Davis (15th), James Capers (14th), Zach Zarba (13th), John Goble (10th), Josh Tiven (7th), James Williams (6th), Courtney Kirkland (5th), Sean Wright (3rd) and Tyler Ford (2nd).