James Capers Biography – Veteran National Basketball Association Referee

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James Capers Bio

James Capers has been officiating in NBA for over two decades. Image Source: Social Media.

  • Birth DateNovember 8, 1961
  • Birth Name James Capers Jr.
  • Age 63
  • Father's Name James Capers Sr.
  • Birth Place Chicago, Illinois, USA
  • Birth Sign Scorpio
  • Nationality American
  • Profession NBA Referee
  • Relationship Status Not Confirmed
  • Eye Color Black
  • Hair Color Black

James Capers is a professional basketball referee in the National Basketball Association (NBA) who has been officiating in the league for twenty-six seasons. Capers is one of the veteran referees in the top-tier league and has managed over 1,300 games in his career so far. He is a well-respected official among his peers.

Despite having such a long and remarkable career, many still don’t know much about the NBA referee. Also, with the vast popularity of the league, people are starting to question his personal details. So, let’s talk more about James’ family, career, and net worth in this article.

His Father Was Also An Official

On November 8, 1961, James Capers Jr. was born to American parents in Chicago, Illinois, USA. His dad Jim Capers, aka James Capers Sr., was an NBA referee with twenty-four years of experience. He certainly influenced his son’s decision to become a referee. However, James has not revealed any details about his mother.

James Capers’ father was an incredible basketball referee who enjoyed a successful career in the NBA from 1970 to 1993. He also officiated in the Chicago Public League and Chicago Catholic League. Furthermore, James Sr. was inducted into the Chicago Public League Hall of Fame in 1992.

James Capers' Career
James Capers’ father, James Capers Sr, was also an NBA referee. Image Source: NBA Referees Twitter.

Capers Jr. attended the Hales Franciscan High School. He graduated from Northern Illinois University in 1984. But, his educational degree hasn’t been revealed yet.

Also Read: More About Head Coach Daniyal Robinson 

James Capers Net Worth And Career

As mentioned earlier, the Chicago-born referee has been officiating for over two decades. Having managed 1,357 regular-season games, he must have amassed a significant amount of wealth. So, we can assume that James Capers’ net worth might be a considerable sum.

James also officiated in the 2018 NBA All-Star game in Los Angeles. In addition, he has refereed in 135 NBA playoff games and ten finals games, including the 2012 finals between Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder. With all these, Capers must have garnered quite an income.


Likewise, Capers started refereeing in the NBA with a six-year of CBA officiating experience in several major tournaments. It includes three CBA finals and two CBA All-Star Games. He had made a good name for himself which helped him succeed in the NBA as well.

According to Sports Brief, an NBA referee can earn up to $10,000 per game, officiating only the playoff round matches. Also, their pay ranges from $180K to $550K. As he is a veteran official, James’ salary is estimated to be $550,000. Hence, James Capers’ net worth must be immense.

Nick Buchert is another referee with massive earnings.

Is James Capers Married?

Well, many fans are wanting to know if James is married to anyone at the moment. Unfortunately, the NBA referee looks pretty focused on his basketball refereeing career. Still, he is in his 60s and likely has a spouse with a couple of kids. But, there is not much information about James Capers’ wife.

Or, Capers might be a very secretive person who doesn’t want to disclose his private life to the outside world. Also, he rarely appears on social media, which has made it more difficult to learn about his partner and children. Hopefully, the NBA official will reveal about his marital life.

Nonetheless, James seems to be enjoying his life as an NBA referee as he is officiating even after several decades. So, let’s hope he will give continuity in his career moving forward and live a content and comfortable life.

Trivia And Facts

  • James Capers’ favorite movie is Malcolm X, while his favorite TV show is Black-ish.
  • His favorite musician is Jill Scott.
  • James’ hidden talent is Bid Whist.