The Thunder and Nuggets Game 2 clash could prove enticing for a number of factors. There's a litany of stars set to take the floor come Wednesday night, spearheaded by MVP hopefuls Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic. Jalen Williams, Jamal Murray, Chet Holmgren and Aaron Gordon all look capable of causing mayhem across the floor. And Russell Westbrook has enjoyed a resurgence during his 16th season in the game.
And yet, none of those figures can shape the outcome of the contest quite like its lead referee, Scott Foster. The much-maligned crew chief, who sports No. 48 during games, will make his long-awaited return to the floor following an injury scare during the regular season.
Foster inspires joy among some fans and malaise among others. He's as contentious a figure across player and fan circles as there is in the NBA. And whether his performance is filled with whistles or no-calls, masses of basketball fans will be waiting with bated breath to see what he has in his toolkit.
Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
Here's the latest on Foster's return to the court.
Scott Foster injury
Foster missed nearly two months after sustaining an undisclosed injury to his calf back while officiating a match between the Heat and the Knicks on March 18.
Foster was seen tending to his calf throughout the third quarter of that fateful March matchup. He also sported a noticeable limp before exiting the game ahead of the fourth quarter. Two referees were tasked with officiating the final period of the contest instead of the normal three.
Even the refs aren’t safe! 😳 Scott Foster exits with an ankle injury! pic.twitter.com/TCZmyDg8Jb
— TrendingSportsPodcast (@TrendingSportsP) March 19, 2025
As one of the NBA's more well-known crew chiefs, Foster has more than a few controversies surrounding his lengthy career. Sardonically christened "The Extender" for his uncanny ability to referee games in which teams stave off elimination, Foster's name tends to pop up anytime a refereeing controversy comes to light.
NBA PLAYOFFS HQ: Live NBA scores | NBA playoff schedule | NBA playoff bracket
High-profile feuds with supernovas Chris Paul, James Harden and more have made him a lightning rod for criticism throughout his 30-year career.
Suffice to say, there were varying opinions on what Foster's return could mean for Wednesday's Nuggets-Thunder clash.
Scott Foster coming back after 7 weeks to help the Thunder like pic.twitter.com/KOSChiOBhe
— iamtheREALMURPHDAWG (@RealMurphdog916) May 7, 2025
Jokic and SGA knowing they’re going to be living at the line tonight pic.twitter.com/b2kGftHqD3
— Underdog (@Underdog) May 7, 2025
most anticipated return from injury since Durant in 2020 https://t.co/y6AQ1NMNKV
— Sub 🗽🌩️🛳️ (@SubThoughtz) May 7, 2025
Scott Foster age
Foster is 58 years old, having been born on April 8, 1967.
A Maryland graduate, Foster's NBA career began during the 1993-94 season. In 1996, he famously ejected Magic Johnson from a Lakers-Suns matchup after the three-time MVP bumped into him while protesting a call. Johnson was summarily fined $10,000 for his actions.
Since then, Foster's has had more on-court controversies than one could recount. An anonymous Los Angeles Times survey of nearly three dozen NBA players revealed he was viewed as the worst referee in the NBA in 2016. In 2023, The Athletic conducted a similar survey, enlisting 108 anonymized subjects. That too, produced the same result: Foster was deemed the worst official in the sport.
Scott Foster salary
Foster's figures aren't public knowledge, so we'll have to play a bit of a guessing game to predict his salary. Given his experience and reputation around the league office, Foster — like many senior referees — likely reels in hundreds of thousands of dollars, with some estimates placing the value of an experienced umpire like Foster around $500,000.