Controversies and the NBA almost go hand in hand, as there’s something or the other every second day. However, a unique thing happened on Friday as veteran NBA official Eric Lewis was reinstated and is back to officiating games, not in the NBA but in the G League. The 52-year-old official will be seen in action at this weekend’s G League Showcase. Why is his return newsworthy?

Eric Lewis had retired after the NBA started an investigation over his illegal use of a burner account on X, formerly Twitter. Things have cooled down ever since, and the veteran official has returned to the fore. The association released a statement on Friday, revealing that Lewis will suit up for the G League Winter Showcase this weekend.

Who is Eric Lewis? Inside the veteran NBA referee’s career

Despite all the investigation fiasco, Eric Lewis remains one of the best NBA officials in recent times. The 52-year-old has been associated with the league for 19 seasons and has officiated 91 playoff games, including six Finals, just to highlight his greatness as an NBA official. In addition to these, Lewis officiated 1,161 regular-season games.

Lewis started officiating in the NBA in 2005, and before becoming a referee, he was a college-level basketball player, as he turned up for Bethune-Cookman University and Mainland High School in Daytona.

Lewis is extremely well respected in the NBA fraternity, and following his retirement decision, he was officiating games in the NCAA men’s basketball games. His body of work also includes officiating multiple seasons in NCAA basketball and, three years previously, in the G League.

Top Stories

Shaquille O’Neal’s Lakers Teammate Arrested Again As Arizona Court Issues Verdict On Order Violation

Did Zion Williamson Slide Into Sydney Sweeney’s DMs? Fact Checking the Viral Screenshot

Anthony Edwards Breaks Silence On Wolves HC Chris Finch Ejection After Win vs OKC

Bucks Eyeing $97M NBA Guard To Help Giannis Antetokounmpo, As Per Reports

Shaquille O’Neal Drops Verdict On Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua After Round 6 KO

What was the social media investigation that led to Eric Lewis’ retirement?

The NBA officials are always in the news, mostly for all the wrong reasons. It is not easy to satisfy all sets of fans (even players!) with the decisions, as some of them are bound to get angry. Something like this happened in 2023 as the NBA launched a probe into Lewis for his illegal use of a burner account on X, formerly Twitter.

Eric allegedly used the burner account to defend the NBA and the officials from massive backlash, something that is a violation of the league’s policies.

All this happened in late May 2023, just before the NBA Finals, and as the NBA launched the probe against Lewis, he was not named among the 12 referees set to feature in the Finals between the Denver Nuggets and the Miami Heat.

Why did the NBA reinstate Eric Lewis in the G League?

Everything said and done, the NBA never really revealed whether Lewis was behind the burner account or not, and on his return, they said that he met several conditions needed in order to return to officiating.

“In light of his decision, the NBA’s investigation into social media activity has been closed,” the league’s statement said.

With the aspiration of returning to officiating, Lewis had to clear several tests, including stress management counseling and training on responsible use of social media.

“While he made a mistake in engaging on social media, our investigation concluded that his behavior did not impact his ability to officiate games fairly and with integrity,” Byron Spruell, the NBA’s President of League Operations, said. He also dropped a hint on Lewis’ potential return to the NBA in the near future.

What does this mean for Eric Lewis’ future in NBA officiating?

Eric Lewis has been one of the most respected NBA officials of this era, with almost two decades of experience. So there’s no reason why the league would not have him back. Yes, it looks like he went overboard and made a mistake, but given his experience and body of work as a referee, he deserves a second chance in the big league.

For now, he may have to officiate in the G League, but a call from the NBA is not far away.