Former NBA Ref DeRosa Discusses Smitty's Referee Apparel Growth

Smitty's has expanded from 5 to 20 employees and now offers over 10,000 products for sports officials worldwide.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 4:00am

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A cubist, geometric illustration depicting the various components of a basketball referee's uniform - the striped shirt, whistle, and other accessories - broken down into fragmented, overlapping shapes and planes in a vibrant color palette.Smitty's innovative referee uniforms have become ubiquitous across college and professional basketball, reflecting the company's growth and influence in the sports officiating industry.Indianapolis Today

Joe DeRosa, a former NBA and college basketball referee who co-owns Smitty Officials and Referee Apparel, discussed the growth of his company during a Curbstone Coaches meeting. DeRosa shared how Smitty's was able to navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and double its sales over the past three years, becoming a go-to source for referee uniforms and apparel across high school, college, and professional sports.

Why it matters

Smitty's success highlights the importance of specialized, high-quality sports officiating gear, especially as the women's game and college basketball continue to grow in popularity. DeRosa's first-hand experience as a top-level referee has allowed him to build a company that caters directly to the needs and preferences of officials at all levels.

The details

DeRosa, who officiated over 1,500 NBA regular season games, 150 playoff games, and 11 NBA Finals, co-founded Smitty's in 2007 with his wife Patti. The company has grown from 5 employees to 20, offering over 10,000 products for sports officials worldwide. When COVID-19 hit, Smitty's was able to capitalize on having inventory when competitors did not, leading to a doubling of sales over the past three years. Smitty's designs and manufactures the uniforms for NCAA men's and women's basketball, with the distinctive 'S' logo now seen across high school and college sports.

  • DeRosa will turn 69 on April 11.
  • Smitty's was co-founded by DeRosa and his wife Patti in 2007.
  • DeRosa officiated in the NBA for 22 seasons, working 1,500 regular season games, 150 playoff games, and 11 NBA Finals.

The players

Joe DeRosa

A former NBA and college basketball referee who co-owns Smitty Officials and Referee Apparel. He officiated over 1,500 NBA regular season games, 150 playoff games, and 11 NBA Finals, and is one of only two officials to work both the NBA Finals and NCAA Final Four.

Patti DeRosa

Joe DeRosa's wife and co-owner of Smitty Officials and Referee Apparel.

JB DeRosa

Joe DeRosa's son, who is in his 9th year as an NBA referee and has worked playoff games for the past 6 seasons.

Caitlin Clark

A recent collegiate basketball star whose success helped drive growth in the women's game.

Angel Reese

A recent collegiate basketball star whose success helped drive growth in the women's game.

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What they’re saying

“We like to say that the 'S' is everywhere. Things have definitely grown since COVID, which changed a lot of things for us.”

— Joe DeRosa, Co-owner, Smitty Officials and Referee Apparel

“JB is in his ninth year as an NBA referee and doing great. He just keeps getting better and the greatest thing is that he asks for my input, normally adjusting to it.”

— Joe DeRosa, Co-owner, Smitty Officials and Referee Apparel

What’s next

DeRosa is waiting to hear back on a potential deal that could impact 5,000 basketball referees in the state of Wisconsin, which would further expand Smitty's reach.

The takeaway

Smitty's success demonstrates the growing demand for high-quality, specialized sports officiating gear, especially as women's basketball and college basketball continue to gain prominence. DeRosa's expertise as a former top-level referee has allowed him to build a company that caters directly to the needs of officials at all levels of play.