League reinstates G League umpire after social media investigation
The The NBA could get reinforcements when it comes to officiating, but it will take a few steps to get to where he once was. Former judge Eric Lewis was returned into the trial program as a G League official after retiring in 2023 for violating the league’s social media policy.
The The NBA opened an investigation against Lewis in 2023 after the social media account responded to several posts about the league’s trial, and they defended Lewis in the process. The League learned that the account was linked to one of Lewis’s family members and it was placed on him. Lewis was unable to work the 2023 NBA Finals after being a part of the team for the previous four seasons, eventually retiring in August 2023 after 19 seasons.
He served as an NCAA men’s basketball referee for the past two seasons. To be eligible to rejoin the trial program, Lewis had to undergo stress management counseling and social media training.
On December 19, Lewis will officiate the G League Showcase game between the Oscela Magic and the Noblesville Boom.
“I get goosebumps now thinking about it,” Lewis told ESPN’s Andscape. “I’m excited about getting back the people’s trust, getting back to work and getting back to the game. What was always the plan when it came to this was to try to get back to the NBA. …
“I’m very excited for the (G League) game. It’s going to be really good to get back into that environment and get back a part of my life that’s been a big part of my refereeing career. Get back to that normality and knowing the best players in the world.”
During his 19-year NBA career, Lewis officiated 1,161 regular season games, 91 playoff games and six NBA Finals.
2025-12-19 18:14:00
