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Joe DeRosa

b. 1957

American basketball player

Basketball official
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About Joe DeRosa

Born 1957. Joe DeRosa is an American basketball official.

Joseph M. DeRosa (born April 11, 1957) is an American retired collegiate and professional basketball referee. DeRosa and Joe Forte are the only two people to have officiated both the NBA Finals and the NCAA Men's Final Four. He was one of the three officials selected to work the 2012 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament semifinal game between Louisville and Kentucky. DeRosa also officiated both the 2014 National Championship game between Kentucky and Connecticut, and the 2015 National Championship game between Duke and Wisconsin. He has officiated in the Southeastern and Big 12 Conferences since 2010. DeRosa started his officiating career as a high school referee in the Western Kentucky Region 1. While he owned a liquor store in Paducah, Kentucky.

Previously, he spent 22 seasons officiating in the National Basketball Association (NBA). During his time working as an NBA official he officiated over 1,500 regular-season games, 150 playoff games and 11 NBA Finals games. DeRosa has also conducted officiating clinics in Venezuela and France.

During game two of the 2010 Eastern Conference Finals, DeRosa was involved in an altercation with an Orlando Magic fan. The fan, Wyndham Vacation Ownership CEO Franz Hanning, was heckling him when DeRosa threw the game ball across the scorers' table at Hanning. The fan then threw the ball back at DeRosa, who had security eject Hanning. The NBA suspended him one game for the altercation.

DeRosa's son, JB DeRosa, is also a basketball referee. JB officiated both men's and women's college basketball at the NCAA Division I level, including the Ohio Valley Conference, the Atlantic 10 Conference and among others. He is now in his fifth season as an NBA referee.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Basketball official
Nationality
Education
John Carroll University
Positions held
NBA referee
Also known as
Joseph M. DeRosa

People in Joe DeRosa's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Joe DeRosa's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Joe DeRosa?

American basketball player

When was Joe DeRosa born?

Joe DeRosa was born on 9 April 1957 in North Canton.

What is Joe DeRosa's occupation?

Joe DeRosa is a basketball official.

What nationality is Joe DeRosa?

Joe DeRosa is American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Joe DeRosa

· Wikidata: Q6209436

· DBpedia: Joe DeRosa (basketball)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Joe DeRosa. https://biography.guide/joe-derosa/

MLA: "Joe DeRosa." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/joe-derosa/.

Chicago: "Joe DeRosa." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/joe-derosa/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-24 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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