Meet Suyash Mehta, the man who makes NBA stars listen to his whistle

These days you can see Suyash Mehta officiating National Basketball Association (NBA) games, dictating the rules to LeBron James, Stephen Curry, James Harden and all the big names in the world of basketball.

However, Suyash wouldn’t have been on the court today if he hadn’t left behind medical school to pursue his dream of becoming a referee.

In December, Suyash Mehta became the first Indian origin referee to be promoted as a full-time staff official by the NBA.

“It’s something I will never forget,” recalls Mehta. “I got a call from our direct supervisor. I took a moment to understand that all the years of sacrifice and hard work have finally paid off.”

That decision did not come easy for the Baltimore native. But the tougher part was convincing his India-born parents that he wanted to switch from medicine to sports.

“The first year was really difficult to help them understand what I was giving up in order to pursue this dream,” Suyash said.

Prior to getting hired in the G League, the official minor league of the NBA, Suyash Mehta was refereeing high school and college basketball games without his parents’ knowledge.

“Every time it was like, ‘hey mom and dad, I am leaving the house, I have to go to work.’ They never really knew where I was going or what I was doing. They thought I was going to the gym and will be back in two-three hours.”

His father, a doctor who was born in Chandigarh, and his mother, a botanist who hails from Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh had never watched any live sport and found it hard to accept their son’s new choice of career.

That was until they saw him in action.

“I think the true acceptance came when I took my parents to the Las Vegas Summer League. I saved up whatever I made in my first year and booked the plane tickets to Las Vegas, put them in a hotel room and invited them for my first game,” reminisced Mehta.

“They were sitting courtside. I remember seeing their faces, they were so happy to see me out on the court. At that moment, they kind of understood that it was a big deal.”

From there on, Suyash made the best of his opportunities, going from collegiate conferences to five seasons in the G League and now refereeing in the NBA.

Life as first Indian origin referee in the NBA

Suyash Mehta had a tough childhood, growing up in Baltimore due to the lack of representation of Indian-Americans in sports. However, the NBA has been a welcoming experience for him.

“It was a heart-warming experience because my childhood was quite the contrary. It wasn’t easy with the neighbourhood kids and the high school kids.

“But the NBA has fostered such a great relationship of diversity and inclusivity that makes you feel welcomed at all times.”

And although Suyash has reached the highest level in his craft, he believes there is always room for improvement, especially when on court with the best players in the world. He admits he is still learning in every game through his mentors.

Another important factor that helps Mehta develop his abilities is the criticism and backlash from fans.

While the constant taunts from fans can deter the spirit of many, Suyash channels it positively to improve his decision-making skills.

“It (cheers and boos) is never really something that fazed me too much when the arenas were packed… Sometimes, it even sharpens my focus and it allows me to say, ‘you know what? There are 20,000 people here that think I am not good but I know I am great.’ That’s what really makes me want to be even better,” Suyash explained

However, Suyash is quick to admit that he misses the fans when the games are played behind closed doors.

And amidst all the difficulties of operating in a biosecure bubble this season, Suyash still loves what he does and takes great pride in working with the NBA.

NBA in India

While basketball has been a popular sport in the USA for quite some time, it is slowly gaining acceptance in India too.

For the first time ever, NBA teams - Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings - played in the country during the NBA India Games of 2019.

“When the first NBA game was announced in India, I was so ecstatic!” exclaimed Suyash.

Although Suyash was born and raised in Maryland, he is well connected to the Indian culture.

“Our first language was Hindi. Our entire root system is based on my parents teaching us the Indian values and I am very fortunate that I had that upbringing.”

Suyash has visited India on a few occasions and feels confident about the sport’s future in the country.

“I am glad that there’s more awareness being brought to the sport in India. I am excited for the future of basketball and the young kids that get to play it, learn from it and grow the representation from the country,” he hoped.