Jack Nies
Jack Nies (pronounced niece) (born November 11, 1937) is a retired National Basketball Association (NBA) referee. Wearing #35 throughout his 31-year career, only Dick Bavetta and Joey Crawford have had more years of NBA officiating experience than Nies. Nies officiated 2,046 regular-season games throughout his career, making him the sixth referee to do so. In addition, Nies oversaw 150 playoff games, 10 NBA Finals games, two NBA All-Star Games (1996 and 2005), and the 1987 Legends Classic. Internationally, he was part of the referee crew that oversaw the 1994 Mexico Challenge and the 1997 McDonald 's Championship; 2007 Istanbul, Turkey; Malaga and Madrid Spain—NBA Preseason Games Nies retired from the NBA following the 2008–09 season. Biography. Nies graduated from St. Peter's Preparatory School. He led the school to a state championship in 1955, and was awarded an All-State selection. Nies then played basketball for University of Saint Mary in Kansas before graduating in 1961 with a degree in Psychology and Philosophy. Nies then moved back to New Jersey, and lived in Ocean Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey. He started refereeing high school basketball games while working as a special education teacher in  the local school district. He then officiated Eastern League games from 1971 until 1978, when he was hired by the NBA. Then-New York Knicks coach Red Holzman helped by giving the league a letter of recommendation, having been impressed by his refereeing in a game he had seen in 1970. On April 15, 2008, Nies refereed his 2,000th NBA game as his home state New Jersey Nets overcame a 20-point deficit against the Charlotte Bobcats 112–108. On April 13, 2009, he officiated his last NBA game as the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder. NBA Finals  games worked. 1997 NBA Finals 1997 Finals, Game 3 1998 NBA Finals 1998 Finals, Game 4