2025 Guest Speakers
We have been very fortunate to have NBA Finals Officials, Legends, and Rookies as guest speakers each year. This year will be no different. Several guest speakers will be in attendance. Last year we featured Joey Crawford, Diana DePaul, as well as Al Batista as our guest speakers.
Diana DePaul | NBA Senior Referee Scout
This year we welcome Diana DePaul back as one of our guest speakers. Diana is a highly experienced Basketball Referee for 25 years, including Women’s DI, FIBA, and NBA-D League (now the G League). Her quick decision-making and communication skills have been critical in her career advancements.
"As an NBA Referee Scout, my focus is finding Officials with passion, a hard work mentality, and a strong desire to potentially become candidates for our NBA Referee Try Out process."
Mike "Duke" Callahan | NBA G-League Training/Dev Lead | Former NBA Referee/Legend
Mike Callahan is now a part of the NBA Referee Operations as the G League Training and Development Lead. He oversees referees' education, evaluation, and the transition of candidates to the WNBA and the NBA.
"Mike’s experience and teaching ability make him the perfect mentor for our next generation of officials," said NBA President of League Operations, Byron Spruell.
This move highlighted the NBA's commitment to developing elite referees. Aspiring officials looking to advance their careers can benefit from Callahan’s leadership and the NBA's structured development pipeline.
Mike was a student of IPABOA!
Joey Crawford | Former NBA Referee/Legend
We also welcome back Joey Crawford. Joey, a prominent NBA referee from 1977 to 2016, hailed from a family deeply rooted in officiating. Known for his strict and reliable officiating, Crawford achieved the 2,000-game milestone in 2005, solidifying his status as one of the longest-tenured NBA referees in history.
Al Batista | NBA Scout Eastern Region
Al will be returning to the camp again as well. Al played an integral part in the camp in 2024. Through his observations, we were able to recommend several 2024 Officials into the Grassroots program.
"I put strong ratings on all of them. Your camp was phenomenal. I was telling Mike Callahan, Director of Officials for the G League, how good the play and officiating were."
We look forward to all our guest speakers. New guest speakers will be announced in the coming days. Updates will be provided via the website and email.
