Richard Jefferson became somewhat of a journeyman toward the latter stages of his career, which is a shame. Those who saw him play with the New Jersey Nets in the early aughts knew a different player. Jefferson was one of the best slashers in the game. He had a knack for beating up the rim as a dunker but could still crush the long ball with a beautiful shot from beyond the arch.
Jefferson was a player ahead of his time and he should be remembered as such, but the NBA star-turned-ESPN-commentator is apparently looking for another way to be remembered, and that's as a referee.
Who knows how far that journey will lead him, but right now, he's going to take the baby step of being a Summer League ref for a quarter.
The Athletic is reporting that Jefferson will be an official for the second quarter of Monday's Summer League matchup between the New York Knicks and Portland Trail Blazers.
Why do this?
— Richard Jefferson (@Rjeff24) July 11, 2022
1. Tremendous amount of knowledge about our game that I’ve learned sitting in classes with the best refs in the world
2.I do this because not many people would dare put themselves in this position. The more info I have the more informed I am as a broadcaster
While it does sound like Jefferson mainly wants to do this to better his chops on television, perhaps it will be an experience that will lead him to eventually choose zebra stripes over pocket squares.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!