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Bill Kennedy injury update: Viral NBA referee out indefinitely with hamstring issue

ns_headshot_2024-clearby: Nick Schultz01/10/26NickSchultz_7

Bill Kennedy, the NBA referee who has gone viral for his explanations of replay reviews, is out indefinitely due to a hamstring injury, insider Chris Haynes reported. He hopes to be back before the end of the regular season.

Kennedy left Saturday’s game between the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic in a wheelchair after he went down with an injury. It was ruled a hamstring strain, Haynes reported, meaning he will be away from the court for an indefinite period of time.

Kennedy is a favorite among NBA fans for how he announces the results of coach challenges and other replay reviews during games. In fact, Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said he challenged a call Jan. 1 solely to hear how Kennedy broke down the play.

“Really, just kind of wanted to hear Billy Kennedy,” Mazzulla said. “He does a really great challenge. We were going to do it anyway just to kinda hear him deliver the challenge.”

Kennedy became an NBA referee in 1995 after previously officiating games in the Continental Basketball Association. He also called college games in multiple conferences – including the Big 12, Pac-12 and Mountain West – from 1987-2012.

But Kennedy began to make his mark in 2019 when the NBA brought the coach’s challenge to the sport. He is well-known to carefully explain the ruling and whether the challenge was successful or unsuccessful.

One example came Dec. 30 when there was a challenge in the Memphis Grizzlies vs. Toronto Raptors game. The call on the court was upheld, and Bill Kennedy explained it in a way only he could.

“After reviewing the play,” he started, “the out-of-bounds that was called was called correctly due to the fact that there was no illegal contact by the defender, resulting in Philadelphia ball at mid-court. The coach’s challenge is unsuccessful.”

In 2015, Kennedy became the second NBA referee to publicly announce he is gay. He publicly came out after Rajon Rondo was suspended after he was heard uttering slurs during a game, resulting in his ejection. Kennedy was part of the officiating crew for that matchup.

“I am proud to be an NBA referee and I am proud to be a gay man,” Kennedy told Yahoo! Sports at the time. “I am following in the footsteps of others who have self-identified in the hopes that will send a message to young men and women in sports that you must allow no one to make you feel ashamed of who you are.”