History of Scott Foster (basketball) in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: May 23, 2025

Scott Foster is a veteran American professional basketball referee in the NBA, having started his career in the 1994-95 season. He is identified by his uniform number, 48.

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Full Timeline

April 8, 1967: Scott Foster Born

On April 8, 1967, Scott Foster was born. He would later become a professional basketball referee for the NBA.

1994: Begins Officiating for the NBA

In 1994, Scott Foster began officiating games for the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was assigned the number 48.

April 1996: Ejects Magic Johnson

In April 1996, during a nationally televised game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns, Scott Foster ejected Magic Johnson after Johnson bumped into him. This led to Johnson controversially receiving a three-game suspension and a $10,000 fine.

October 2006: Phone Calls to Tim Donaghy Begin

Beginning in October 2006, Tim Donaghy made 134 phone calls to Scott Foster. This raised questions due to Donaghy's involvement in match fixing.

April 2007: Phone Calls to Tim Donaghy End

In April 2007, Tim Donaghy's phone calls to Scott Foster ended, with a total of 134 calls made between October 2006 and April 2007. These calls occurred around the time Donaghy was betting on games.

August 2007: Foster Interviewed by FBI

In August 2007, Scott Foster was interviewed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as a possible co-conspirator in the Tim Donaghy match-fixing scandal.

August 2007: Tim Donaghy Pleds Guilty

In August 2007, former NBA referee Tim Donaghy pled guilty to two federal charges for match fixing, which brought scrutiny to his relationship with Scott Foster.

October 2008: Pedowitz Report Concludes Foster Likely Innocent

In October 2008, Lawrence Pedowitz of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz released a report concluding that Scott Foster was likely innocent of co-conspiracy in the Tim Donaghy scandal, despite frequent calls between the two.

2010: Officiates Game 7 of the NBA Finals

In 2010, Scott Foster officiated the deciding Game 7 of the NBA Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics. He officiated the game with Danny Crawford and Joey Crawford.

2016: Voted Worst Referee in Los Angeles Times Survey

In 2016, Scott Foster was voted the worst referee in the NBA in an anonymized survey of nearly three dozen NBA players conducted by the Los Angeles Times.

February 2019: James Harden Calls Foster Rude and Arrogant

In February 2019, James Harden called Scott Foster "rude and arrogant," adding to the criticism Foster has faced during his career.

2021: Number of Games Officiated

As of the 2021-22 NBA season, Scott Foster has officiated 1,617 regular-season games and 226 playoff games in 28 seasons.

2023: Voted Worst Referee in The Athletic Survey

In 2023, Scott Foster was voted the worst referee in the NBA in a separate anonymized survey of 108 NBA players conducted by The Athletic.

March 2024: Rudy Gobert Fined for Money Gesture at Foster

In March 2024, NBA player Rudy Gobert was fined $100,000 for making a money gesture at Scott Foster during a game, implying Foster's officiating was influenced by sports gambling interests.