The NBA mourned the loss of longtime referee Nolan Fine this week. Fine, who refereed for the NBA for 16 years, passed away on Sep. 3 in his home in Virginia Beach. He was 60 years old.
Fine was a long-time fan of sports, passionately pursuing golf and basketball from a young age. He became the youngest referee to ever officiate an NCAA final game, and then became a long-time referee for the NBA in 1988. He exited the league in 2004 due to a back disability, but he continued to supervise referees in the Big South Conference throughout the rest of his life.
The NBA mourns the passing of longtime referee Nolan Fine on Sept. 3. Served league with passion and dignity for nearly two decades.
— NBA (@NBA) September 5, 2016
Remembered as a fair man with a quick wit, Fine’s close friend and colleague Joe Forte remembered him as bringing a relaxed approach and a strong sense of humor to the game. In an interview with the NBA, Forte recalled a game 25 years ago, back when referees were required to fill out game reports and technical foul reports on paper and then mail them to the league’s headquarters. A fan sitting in courtside seats loudly complained that Fine wasn’t awarding enough technical fouls, to which he immediately shot back, “I can’t afford all the stamps.”
To the end of his life, Fine was considered an expert voice for refereeing. He was called on several years ago to give his opinion on fans being kicked out of games:
Fine is survived by his mother, Sonya Fine, his brother, Mitchell, his sister-in-law, Peggy Fine, daughters, Blair Fine and Jennifer Fine Shaw, her husband, Ryan Shaw, granddaughter Gabrielle Shaw, nieces Stacie Fine Wilson and Morgan Fine Zell, and her husband Ryan Zell, and great-nephew Micah Zell.
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