Suyash Mehta interview: It’s an entirely different realm of players in an NBA game

Today, Suyash Mehta – from Maryland, USA – has become the first Indian-origin referee to officiate in the NBA. Harbouring a dream to work on an NBA court, Mehta worked with different leagues for years before finally starting his journey with the NBA last December. In a recent Zoom call with Indian reporters, Mehta spoke about his journey uphill, ranging from his parents' uncertainty to a court full of basketball superstars in the NBA. 

Suyash Mehta interview: The first Indian origin NBA referee details his experience

Unbeknownst to most, Mehta started his journey as a basketball player at the University of Maryland. Mehta explains how the path he chose was untraditional, and his parents had to witness a game he was officiating first-hand to completely understand his passion for officiating. Beginning with an NCAA Division 3 match, Mehta has officiated in the NBA D-League (now G League) along with other games before finally making it to the NBA. 

Who is Suyash Mehta?

NBA G League referees Simone Jelks, Suyash Mehta and Andy Nagy have been promoted to full-time @NBA staff officials, it was announced today by Monty McCutchen, NBA Senior Vice President, Head of Referee Development and Training. pic.twitter.com/yaosBWGnki

— NBA Official (@NBAOfficial) December 23, 2020

When did Suyash Mehta's NBA journey begin?

"I'll always remember it like yesterday," Mehta revealed while speaking about the first time he heard the news. "It's November. 27, 2020. I got the call from our direct supervisor, Monte (McCutchen). I mean, I know exactly where I was when I got the call. I remember getting the call and completely freezing and melting down, saying if this was real? And if this really happened. I took a moment to really understand all the years of sacrifice and hard work had finally paid off". 

While he officiates in the NBA now, Mehta is focused on doing his job well. For him, every game he officiates is an "internal competition" with himself, pushing him to get better. "You are on the court with the best players in the world and you have to make the right decisions". 

"It's an entirely different realm of players," Mehta said, highlighting their athleticism and how their level of playing is unmatched. "They are the best in the world for a reason. It takes a while to get used to it and am still learning at every game through my mentors".

That being said, Mehta accepts he tends to miss the fans and their noise in the background. "We are so used to hearing the fans and all the boos," he says when asked about dealing with criticism. "But honestly, it has never really fazed me too much. Sometimes it even sharpened my focus and it allowed me to say, you know what, there's like 20,000 people here that think I'm not good. And I know I'm great". 

The referees and their world too, tends to be not very different from how athletes work, Mehta adds. "I don’t think I can say that I can dunk the ball but I take my training pretty seriously. Our diets, we don't just eat fast food and things like that. We take health very seriously because it’s the only way you can have longevity in this career, especially because you may be doing it twice as long as some of the players". 

He mentions the workout, which includes cardio and weightlifting. In the offseason, like the players, they prep for the upcoming campaign. 

His journey began on December 28, 2020, at the United Center, when the Golden State Warriors visited the Chicago Bulls. "I just went out and walked right down to the Chicago Bulls floor and took a quick five-second, 360-degree turn around the arena," Mehta shared, adding that it is what his mentor suggested him to do. 

Mehta is another step ahead for anyone aiming for an NBA dream, hopefully inspiring everyone to pursue their dream. Years ago, the now-NBA referee was pursuing neurobiology. However, a risky 2013 decision to start officiating kept him going. Despite his struggles throughout the year, Mehta assures that his experience in the NBA has been "welcoming", looking forward to officiating more games as time passes. 

(Image credits: NBA India)