Violet Palmer Biography

Violet Palmer made history in the 1997 season opener for the Vancouver Grizzlies when she became the first female referee to officiate a game in the NBA. Not only was this the first instance in the NBA, it also made Palmer the first female to officiate the top level in any professional sport in America. The Compton, California native played college basketball at Cal Poly Pomona as a point guard where she won back to back Division II NCAA Championships in 1985 & 1986. She began her officiating career all the way at the bottom, working her way up to NCAA DI men’s basketball games where in 1996 she was offered an opportunity to officiate the NCAA Tournament which was later retracted due to problems with the idea of a woman officiating male players. The following season however, is when Palmer began officiating in the NBA where she still works today as well as officiating for the WNBA. 

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