NBA names Scott Foster crew chief for Game 1 of Knicks–Spurs Finals

The NBA posted its Game 1 officiating assignment on Wednesday morning, naming Scott Foster as crew chief for the opener of the 2026 Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs. The league’s referee assignments page listed James Capers as referee, Sean Wright as umpire and JB DeRosa as alternate for the game in San Antonio. Game 1 is scheduled to tip at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC. The assignment puts one of the league’s most experienced officials on the floor for the first game of the championship series. The NBA said Tuesday that Foster is working his 19th Finals, the most among this year’s 12 selected Finals referees. The league said Foster has officiated 26 Finals games, more than any other official in this year’s pool. (official.nba.com) ### Which officials are actually on the floor tonight? The NBA’s June 3 assignment lists Foster as crew chief, Capers as referee and Wright as umpire for New York at San Antonio. The same page lists DeRosa as the alternate and Zach Zarba in the replay center. The league says individual game assignments are posted at about 9 a.m. ET on each game day. (pr.nba.com) Crew chief is the lead on-floor role in the NBA’s three-official system. The NBA’s officiating site describes the crew chief as the “leader of the crew, on and off the floor,” responsible for handling game situations and partnering with the other officials. ### How did Foster get this assignment? The NBA said on June 2 that Finals officials are chosen by the league’s Referee Operations management team. (official.nba.com) The league said selections are based on season-long grades and rankings, play-calling accuracy and team ratings, with officials evaluated after each playoff round to determine advancement. Byron Spruell, the NBA’s president of league operations, said in the league’s announcement that “being selected to work the NBA Finals is the highest honor for an NBA official.” Spruell said the league was recognizing the officials’ “dedication to the game and pursuit of excellence in their craft.” ### Where does Foster fit in this year’s Finals officiating group? (pr.nba.com) The NBA named 12 referees to work the 2026 Finals: Curtis Blair, Tony Brothers, James Capers, Marc Davis, Tyler Ford, Scott Foster, John Goble, Courtney Kirkland, Josh Tiven, James Williams, Sean Wright and Zach Zarba. The league said Curtis Blair is making his first Finals appearance after previously serving as an alternate in 2021 and 2022. (pr.nba.com) Among that group, the NBA said Foster has the most Finals experience, followed by Davis with 23 Finals games and Brothers with 19. The league also named Nick Buchert, DeRosa, Mitchell Ervin and Justin Van Duyne as alternates for the series. ### When and where is Game 1? Game 1 is set for Wednesday, June 3, in San Antonio, with the Spurs holding home court for the opener. (pr.nba.com) The NBA’s Finals schedule lists all games at 8:30 p.m. ET and says ABC is the exclusive broadcaster. The series schedule has Game 2 in San Antonio on Friday, June 5, before shifting to New York for Game 3 on Monday, June 8, and Game 4 on Wednesday, June 10. (pr.nba.com) Games 5 through 7 are scheduled for June 13, June 16 and June 19, if necessary. (nba.com)