NBA Referee Bob Delaney is The Wire meets Goodfellas and The Sopranos

Two decades of refereeing in the NBA isn’t the only story Bob Delaney has to tell. The retired New Jersey state trooper has just published Covert, which should appeal to fans of The Wire, Goodfellas and The Sopranos. But those screen gems tend to leave out detail of the human realities like the post-traumatic stress syndrome Delaney experienced after going undercover for three years and putting over 30 mob men behind bars in the process. It’s a great true crime piece, examining the challenges of one man and his work, and how basketball enabled him to move in a new direction on his own terms, and written in his own words.

What made you want to tell your story?
The criminal gets so many rights, and rightfully so, but the victim is always forgotten about. I had seen victims as a uniformed trooper, and I lived as a victim in my undercover phase. I’ve been a student of victimology for years, and I thought this book would give light to that problem. I’ve also been working with law enforcement officers on undercover operations, exploring the psychological impact of undercover operations. It can be an emotional rollercoaster ride. The undercover operative is one of extremes. It’s the greatest investigative tool law enforcement has, and yet it leaves behind emotional and psychological carnage. Plus, I’ve come to realize that all people who are in life-threatening jobs have gone through a lot of the emotional psychological experience that I also have.

Do you ever have concerns for your own safety?
I don’t think my life is any different from any other law enforcement officer, any cop, or anyone that is involved in putting someone in jail: You never know what retribution may come when they get out of jail. I did have a derth threat in 1977 when I surfaced from doing undercover work and the state police and FBI addressed it. It’s been 30 years since the investigation took place, and this is not news to the people that I arrested, as I’ve testified before them. But, if I went into hiding, the bad guys would have won. You have to go forward and live life.

What’s the most rewarding thing about officiating in the NBA?
Strange as it sounds, it’s a very peaceful and calm experience out on the court, because you focus on the game so intently for those three hours that nothing else in life matters. Whatever else you have going on, you can escape from it.

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