Eric Lewis begins return to NBA officiating in G League
Reinstated after a social media investigation, the veteran official worked a Noblesville Boom v Osceola Magic game at the G League Winter Showcase on Friday.
For 19 years, Eric Lewis regularly worked NBA courts in front of thousands as a game official. That changed abruptly in August 2023, when he suddenly retired while the league was investigating him for potential violations of its social media policy.
Lewis spent the last two seasons officiating NCAA men’s college games. After fully participating in an NBA investigation into his social media activity — including stress-management counseling and training on responsible use of social media — Lewis returned to an NBA court on Friday.
More specifically, a G League court.
Lewis was reinstated by the NBA and began his return in the G League despite a remarkable résumé. He was one of three officials for the Noblesville Boom vs. Osceola Magic game on Court 2 at the G League Winter Showcase, held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.
He was joined by Cameron Garber and Julian McFadden.
It is noteworthy that Lewis was under investigation for social media activity, not on-court performance. With several years having passed, this path represents a reasonable course of action for both sides.
The NBA needs experienced officials, and Lewis has been among the league’s most accomplished.
He has officiated 1,161 regular-season games and 91 playoff games over a 19-year NBA career.
“Over nearly 20 years, Eric established himself as one of the NBA’s premier game officials,” said Byron Spruell, NBA President of League Operations.
“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. We are confident he has learned from that experience and can properly serve the game again, first as an NBA G League official and potentially in a return as an NBA official.”
Being back in the G League, regardless of how long that stint lasts, marks a reunion. It’s where Lewis’ professional officiating career began — three seasons in the G League before earning a promotion to the NBA.