The NBA’s success as the world’s premier basketball league is built on the principles of fairness, integrity, and competition. The role of referees is critical in protecting those values, ensuring that games are decided by the skill and effort of players—not the influence of officiating.

Yet for more than a decade, one official has stood at the center of repeated controversies that have damaged public trust in the fairness of NBA games: Scott Foster.

This petition calls on the NBA to immediately review Scott Foster’s officiating record and remove him from future assignments. The data and patterns associated with Foster are too alarming to ignore, and the integrity of the game demands accountability.

The Case Against Scott Foster

1. Chris Paul Playoff Record (Statistically Impossible Pattern)

Chris Paul’s teams are 3–17 in playoff games officiated by Scott Foster, a 15% win rate. This contrasts sharply with Paul’s 52% career playoff win rate in games not officiated by Foster.

Probability of this occurring randomly: less than 1%, according to sports statisticians who have analyzed this anomaly.
This is not bad luck — it is a pattern that calls into question the neutrality of officiating.

Source: ESPN, CBS Sports, Action Network

2. Foster’s Reputation as “The Extender” — Extending Series at Unnatural Rates

Since 2008, teams trailing 3-1 or 3-2 in a playoff series have won approximately 70% of games when Foster officiates, compared to the historical league average of ~35–40% for those scenarios.
Example: 2021 Bucks vs. Nets Game 6 — Foster officiated, Bucks (down 3-2) won and forced Game 7; point spread moved after Foster’s assignment was announced.

Source: Action Network, NBA Playoff Logs, Covers.com

3. Free Throw & Foul Discrepancy Patterns

Foster’s elimination games average ~44 personal fouls called, well above the league’s elimination-game norm (~38).
Teams facing elimination under Foster routinely enjoy +10 or more free throw attempts than their opponent.
Example: In the 2021 Bucks-Nets Game 6, the Bucks shot 11 more free throws than Brooklyn.

Source: NBA box scores, game logs, Action Network analysis

4. Betting Market Reactions and Statistical Red Flags

Betting lines frequently move when Foster is announced as an official, as bettors account for his tendency to favor underdogs or teams down in a series.
In the 2023-24 season, home teams in Foster-officiated games were 21-32-1 against the spread (39.6%), a sharp deviation from the ~50% norm.
Road teams and underdogs disproportionately covered the spread, supporting perceptions of inconsistent or biased officiating.

Source: Covers.com referee ATS data, Oddsshark line histories

5. Last Two Minute Report Errors & Poor Grades

Independent reviews (e.g., RefAnalytics) have rated Foster in the bottom 10% of referees for accuracy in critical final two-minute calls in close games.
Foster’s games exhibit a higher-than-league-average rate of incorrect or missed calls at moments when fairness matters most.

Source: NBA L2M Reports, RefAnalytics summaries

6. High Rate of Technical Fouls and Escalations

Foster consistently ranks in the top tier of referees for technical fouls issued and player ejections.
Players and coaches across the league report that Foster’s style unnecessarily escalates tensions and shifts focus away from the game itself.

7. Player and Coach Criticisms (A Rare Consensus)

Chris Paul: Openly expressed frustration over Foster’s pattern of calls and outcomes.
James Harden: Called Foster “rude and arrogant.”
Damian Lillard: Accused Foster of trying to “be the star of the game.”
Kyle Lowry: Criticized Foster for questionable calls in the playoffs.
DeMarcus Cousins: Said Foster “has it out for me” after multiple ejections.

This level of consistent, public criticism from respected stars is virtually unheard of for any other official.

8. Integrity Concerns from the Tim Donaghy Scandal

Foster exchanged 134 phone calls with disgraced referee Tim Donaghy during the period Donaghy was betting on NBA games he officiated.
While Foster was not charged, the association raised lasting concerns about his judgment and the league’s oversight of officiating integrity.

Source: USA Today, New York Times

Why This Matters

These patterns are not isolated incidents, nor are they the complaints of bitter fans or players after a tough loss. They reflect systemic issues, backed by data, that compromise the credibility of NBA officiating and the fairness of its games.

Allowing Scott Foster to continue officiating threatens the league’s reputation. Fans, players, and stakeholders deserve better. The NBA’s global brand depends on its commitment to integrity, and this commitment must extend to its referees.

Our Call to Action

We, the undersigned, demand that the NBA:

Immediately review Scott Foster’s officiating record with full transparency.
Remove Foster from future assignments in order to restore confidence in the fairness of the game.

This is not personal. This is about protecting the integrity of basketball, ensuring that outcomes are decided by the players, and restoring faith in one of the greatest sports leagues in the world.