NEW YORK (AP) — Lauren Holtkamp-Sterling is getting back into basketball, this time going behind the microphone.
The former referee, who was the third female official to work in the NBA, will be a rules analyst for ESPN during select WNBA games this season. Holtkamp-Sterling retired from officiating two years ago because of knee issues.
“I missed being part of the professional basketball world. I missed it quite a bit. It was a big part of my life for
a long time,” she told The Associated Press in a phone interview. “So to be able to step back into that world in a way that I'll be bringing all my previous experiences that I have, but also getting to learn new skills and come at this from another angle, is such a privilege. To do it in a different way thrills me.”
Holtkamp-Sterling will provide real-time analysis and context on officiating decisions, replay reviews and rules interpretations during select games.
“My goal stepping into this role isn't to simply say whether a call was right or wrong but to help viewers understand why," she said. "What was happening, what was the official looking at? What does the rule actually say? Walk viewers through individual plays and describe what they are looking at and are focused on.”
Holtkamp-Sterling will work from ESPN studios in Connecticut, starting with a doubleheader on Saturday.
“I’ll have my own room set up with a ton of screens and monitors," she said. “I think of it as similar to the (NBA) replay center in Secaucus (New Jersey) in terms (of) what I’ll have access to with angles."
Officiating has come under scrutiny the last few seasons in the WNBA. The league formed an officiating task force in the offseason as part of the “state of the game” group that included players and coaches. The hope was to address growing concerns about physicality in the league.
Holtkamp-Sterling, who previously was a WNBA referee, said she is still aware of what's been going on despite being out of the league for a few years.
“Criticism is part of officiating,” she said. “Fans and stakeholders care about the game and everyone wants to see it be the best it can be.”
She hopes in her role she can help “fans peer behind the curtain of what’s happening from the officiating perspective. Sometimes I will support the call or explain why the call was missed. Hopefully I can give fans a deeper understanding of some of the game’s most pivotal moments."
Having a rules analyst is nothing new to ESPN broadcasts. Former referee Steve Javie has been doing it for NBA games for more than a decade. ESPN added former official Dee Kantner to women's college games this season.
“We’re excited to welcome Lauren to ESPN’s basketball coverage team,” said Rodney Vaughn, ESPN's WNBA coordinating producer. “Her experience at the highest levels of professional basketball, combined with her ability to explain complex rules and officiating decisions, will bring valuable perspective to our game telecasts.”
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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
