Chelisa Painter, a Chesapeake native and former Indian River High School basketball standout, officiated her first NBA game as a staff official Monday, Oct. 26, working the Dallas Mavericks-Miami Heat matchup.
The NBA's official game record lists Painter alongside referees Josh Tiven and Kevin Scott. Dallas defeated Miami 113-109.
The NBA announced Oct. 14 that Painter had been named to the league's full-time officiating staff for the 2026-27 season. She was promoted alongside referees Nate Cearley and Brent Haskill.
Painter's addition brings the number of women on the NBA's full-time officiating staff to nine, according to the league's announcement.
Albert Sanders, the NBA's executive vice president and head of referee operations, credited the three officials' development and performance in announcing their promotions.
From Indian River to the NBA
Painter's road to the league started in Chesapeake. As a senior at Indian River High School, she averaged 14.9 points, 12.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game, according to her George Washington University athletics biography.
She earned second-team All-Tidewater honors and was named Southeastern District Defensive Player of the Year.
Painter began her college basketball career at George Washington before transferring to Old Dominion University, according to ODU's June 2012 announcement.
She later played professionally overseas before pursuing officiating, according to the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, which interviewed her about the career transition in September 2021.
Climbing the officiating ladder
Painter spent seven years as an NCAA Division I official, according to the NBA.
The league's announcement states she worked five years and 215 games in the NBA G League, including playoff assignments in three seasons. She also officiated three NBA regular-season games as a non-staff official during the 2025-26 season.
All three newly promoted officials will continue to work G League games alongside their NBA assignments, the league said. NBA referees with fewer than four years of service also officiate G League games to gain experience as crew chiefs.
Hampton Roads on the NBA floor
Painter joins other Hampton Roads-area officials working in the NBA.
Tony Brothers, a Norfolk native and Old Dominion graduate, is another longtime NBA referee, according to his National Basketball Referees Association biography.
Painter's next assignment is listed for Thursday, Oct. 29, when Sacramento visits New Orleans, according to the NBA's official referee assignments.
