I have been officiating basketball games for over 10 years. From adult rec leagues to varsity, I’ve seen something that is always a constant. Players complain about calls. And like clock work, every time the attention turns to the ref’s calls, that team usually loses.
Players feel they can’t be touched. They have forgotten that basketball can be a physical game. Opponents are not going to just move out of the way so you can score.
“Come on ref!” is one of the most common replies I hear. Meanwhile the opponent is going back for an easy score because you would rather argue a call. Why? Calls don’t get reversed.
My favorite is the offensive player who initiated contact and expects a foul called on the defense.
Just the other day I saw a player who wanted a foul because the ball was blocked into their face. It wasn’t a foul, it was a good defense play. Unfortunately ego gets in the way of rational thinking.
Us refs can’t help you win or lose a game. We call what we see. Players would be shocked to know most officials would rather not call anything. But we have to for the safety of the players.
The out of shape player is my favorite complainer. And for the life of me I don’t understand why heavy players don’t go into the post more. Oh no! They would rather try and prove to everyone they got handle. It usually ends in a messed up shot or a turnover. Of course it’s the refs fault. Not lose weight so you can play better.
The message I want to give to all the players out there, work on your game! Focus your energy on just playing and being a good teammate.
BackboardBaller.com 
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