Tony Brothers

Tony Brothers (born September 14, 1964) is an American professional basketball referee who has worked for the National Basketball Association (NBA) since the 1994–95 season. Now in his 32nd season, Brothers has officiated 1,854 regular-season games, 215 playoff games, and 19 NBA Finals games. He wears uniform number 25.

Early life and education Brothers was born on September 14, 1964, in Norfolk, Virginia. He graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in Norfolk. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Old Dominion University (ODU) in 1986, and returned to ODU decades later to complete a master's degree, graduating again in 2022.

Before pursuing officiating, Brothers worked for Tidewater Consultants Inc. in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where he helped design and maintain the system used for periodic maintenance on nuclear submarines, submarine tenders, and aircraft carriers.

Officiating career Early officiating Brothers began his officiating career as a baseball umpire before transitioning to basketball. He accumulated seven years of high school officiating experience in Virginia, including assignments at three state tournaments, and one year at the junior college level. He later gained one year of collegiate officiating experience at the NCAA Division III level.

Prior to joining the NBA, Brothers spent four years officiating in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), working three CBA Finals and a CBA All-Star Game. and the 2024 NBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference In September 2023, Brothers joined the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) as Coordinator of Women's Basketball Officials, a role that expanded to cover men's basketball as well. Dorothy Brothers had been a Bank of America executive and a member of the Minority Business Hall of Fame and Museum before her death.

Political aspirations In July 2025, Brothers announced that he was giving "serious consideration" to running for Mayor of the City of Norfolk, Virginia in the 2028 election.

Personal life Brothers has six children. He is married to Kimberly J. Brothers. In his NBA profile, he listed Israel as a place he would most like to visit.