NBA referee Scott Wall was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia earlier this year and is in treatment, the National Basketball Referees Association (NBRA) announced Wednesday. All referees will be using a whistle marked with the No. 31, Wall’s referee jersey number, for the remainder of the season.
NBA referee Scott Wall has undergone chemotherapy treatment and had a 30-day hospital stay, the union said
The union said that tribute was happening as a sign of “solidarity with our brother.” Wall has undergone chemotherapy treatment and had a 30-day hospital stay, the union said, adding that “doctors have successfully eliminated the leukemia cells from his body and have transitioned Scott into the next phase of treatment.”
In fact, the NBA Referees account posted Wednesday on X, “Let’s come together as an NBA family to show our support for Scott and his family. Let’s lift them up with messages of strength and encouragement as they take on this new challenge. #WallyStrong.”
Starting tonight, in solidarity with our brother and current NBA official, Scott Wall, each NBA Referee will be using a #31 whistle for the remainder of the season. Scott, a 30-year veteran referee in the NBA, was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia earlier this year.
After… pic.twitter.com/2GjKK4e1Dl
— NBA Referees (@OfficialNBARefs) November 13, 2024
Wall, 58, has worked 1,443 regular-season games and 14 playoff games in 28 seasons as an NBA staff official, according to his NBRA biography.
Additionally, the Florida resident was selected to work the 2012 NBA All-Star Game in Orlando. He officiated 38 games during the 2023-24 season.
Wall has four years of officiating experience with USA Basketball, four years in the NCAA, and five years at the high school level
Furthermore, Wall also has four years of officiating experience with USA Basketball, four years in the collegiate ranks in the ACC, Ohio Valley and Atlantic Sun conferences, and five years at the high school level in Kansas and Alabama.
The Jacksonville native volunteers with Georgianna United Methodist Church in Merritt Island on local mission programs. His father, Bill, is a former USA Basketball Director. His mother, Patricia, is a former Southeastern Conference Associate Commissioner as well.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for acute myeloid leukemia. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the five-year survival rate for all subtypes of leukemia is 65.7%. Of course, the survival rate is based on how many patients are still alive five years after their diagnosis.
However, treatment success depends on a range of factors, including age, time of diagnosis, family history, chromosome mutations, blood cell count, extent of bone damage, and the body’s response to treatment. Per NCI, treatment options include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, stem cell transplant, and antibiotics.
