Let us celebrate the two first full time female referees in the NBA! Violet Palmer and Dee Kantner were both hired together in '97 and Palmer made history for officiating the season opener that year. Both women made history officiating the same game in November of that year. It was the first time that women officiated regular-season games in an all-male U.S. professional league. It was also the last time two women officiated the same game until Natalie Sago and Jenna Schroeder in 2021.

Hey AARP. You guys are promoting this like she was the 1st. Please don’t disrespect Violet like that. She was clearly first. Just speak facts please. Respect to Dee though.

@drinelliott2287

5 жыл бұрын

facts!

Had the privilege to watch Dee referee this season. She's always talking and laughing with the coaches and has a smile on her face from tip to the final horn. Every aspiring official should aim to be like Dee.

She got a raw deal from the NBA, they recruited her, she is a great official and an even better person.

Forgot about this woman--Good for her-Great attitude

Violet Palmer was the first.. Violets first game was 10/3/1997 Grizzlies vs Mavs and Dee Kantner's was 11/5/1997 Hawks vs 76ers.. Respect all round tho.

Hey, Dee! Been a lot of years!! Hope you see this. Find me on FB if you happen to call a UGA game this year so I can come see ya'll!

Violet palmer was the first nba female official.

@jmmcnoght231

3 жыл бұрын

Violet and Dee were both brought in together I believe

@itsjustdonovan

3 жыл бұрын

@@jmmcnoght231 You are correct. They were both hired for full-time staff in 1997. In fact, for exactly these reasons, they were assigned to their first game together (Hawks / 76ers) in November. I do absolutely love the addition of referees who happen to be female but it's been driving me crazy this year that so many reporters have "reported" that this was the FIRST game with two female officials (Natalie Sago and Jenna Schroeder). Clearly, it was not. Even the NBA has made this error.

@GameUnkasa

Жыл бұрын

@@itsjustdonovan they were both hired yes but Violets first game was 10/3/1997 Grizzlies vs Mavs and Dee Kantner's was 11/5/1997 Hawks vs 76ers.. So Violet was indeed the first.

@itsjustdonovan

Жыл бұрын

@@GameUnkasa This is what I've read: Palmer made her NBA debut on Oct. 31, 1997 when she, along with Denise Kantner, became the first women to referee a regular season game for any all-male professional sports league. They officiated the season opener between the Vancouver Grizzlies and the Dallas Mavericks. Wikipedia (not always the best source) concurs with this: In 1997, however, Palmer and Dee Kantner were signed by the NBA to together become the first top-level female officials in any major U.S. professional sport. On October 31, 1997, Palmer made history when she officiated the NBA season opener between the Vancouver Grizzlies and the Dallas Mavericks, in British Columbia, Canada.[6] Maybe there's a video out there somewhere.

VP was the first female NBA official

She’s my neighbor

@atonebenino

3 жыл бұрын

She's trash

@clintfowler1526

3 жыл бұрын

@@atonebenino that’s why she is always officiating big games.... cannot be that trash if your asked to officiate big games a lot

NBA's Loss!

@kathymassey96

6 жыл бұрын

h2odragon1 to rivrerwind