Natalie Sago has made history by being selected as one of the referees for the NBA playoffs, becoming only the third woman to officiate in postseason games, following Violet Palmer and Ashley Moyer-Gleich. Sago, who has officiated over 400 NBA games, received the call about her selection while at the Salt Lake City airport, initially fearing it might be bad news. Her promotion to the NBA's full-time staff in 2018 marked her as one of the first female referees in the league. She expressed her excitement about the opportunity, emphasizing her desire to perform well and inspire future generations of female referees. The selection process for playoff officials is rigorous, based on performance metrics throughout the season. Sago's first assignment will be the 12th playoff game officiated by a woman in NBA history. She hopes that the presence of women in officiating roles becomes a norm in the league.