NBA Referee Injured After Crashing into Courtside Cameraman

Sha'Rae Mitchell collided with a cameraman stationed illegally on the sideline during a live game.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 5:03pm

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An NBA referee was injured during a game on Thursday night when she inadvertently ran into a cameraman who was incorrectly stationed along the sideline. Sha'Rae Mitchell, a first-year staff official, collided with the cameraman and fell to the floor, though she was able to return to the game after taking a few minutes to recover.

Why it matters

The incident highlights ongoing safety concerns around courtside cameras and the need for the NBA to enforce its own guidelines about where media personnel can be positioned during live play.

The details

The collision occurred during the fourth quarter of the game between the Atlanta Hawks and Brooklyn Nets at State Farm Arena. Mitchell was running backwards alongside the players when she crashed into the cameraman, who was standing in a prohibited area along the midcourt sideline. The league had previously banned midcourt sideline television cameras in 2016 after a series of injuries to players and referees.

  • The incident occurred during the fourth quarter of the game on Thursday, March 13, 2026.

The players

Sha'Rae Mitchell

A 40-year-old first-year NBA staff official who was injured in the collision.

Atlanta Hawks

The home team playing at State Farm Arena when the incident occurred.

Brooklyn Nets

The visiting team playing at State Farm Arena when the incident occurred.

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What’s next

The NBA is expected to review the incident and determine if the cameraman will face any sanctions for being stationed in a prohibited area.

The takeaway

This collision underscores the need for the NBA to strictly enforce its own safety guidelines around courtside media positioning to protect players, referees, and team personnel from potential injuries.