Blanca Burns: The First Mexican Born Woman Referee In The NBA

In December 2021, NBA referee Blanca Burns made history by becoming the first Mexican-born woman to have an NBA official title.

Her first game was between the Utah Jazz and San Antonio Spurs when Spurs Coach Gregg Popvich expressed his complaints with the referee.

Even though Popvich was obviously upset, Burns thinks that parents of middle schoolers have scolded her worse than that.

Burns, who was born in Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico, moved to El Paso and then Oklahoma with her family. She had enjoyed basketball since she was a young.

“Ever since I was a little girl, I always had a basketball in my hand. I played the game at every level in school,” Burns commented.

Burns was a part of the Mid-America Christian University basketball team, in Oklahoma City, for two seasons. At the same time, she was employed by a YMCA, working at kids’ games.

Later, Burns started working as a referee for the NCAA and then for the G League. That is the NBA’s official minor league organization.

When asked how she handles calling violations on basketball players like LeBron James, Burns responded.

“You see LeBron and Ja [Morant] there, and to actually be on the court with them, it’s something I’m never going to forget. At the same time, you realize you’re there to do a job, so you check your emotions.”