Hugh Evans, an NBA referee from 1972-2001, is the 17th official to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Hugh Evans always believed that his role was to command respect, not love. Eventually, he became so proficient at earning respect that he inevitably felt a significant amount of affection from others.
Evans, who becomes the 17th referee enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame this weekend and just the seventh for his work in the NBA, focused so heavily on the integrity of his role as a game official, he stunted some of the relationships he might have had with players and coaches.
The native of Squire, W.Va., deemed it crucial to maintain a certain distance from the participants to eliminate any potential or implied risk of being influenced by a friendship. Despite his efforts, he successfully ended up with numerous work friends.
“Even when he stepped onto the center of the floor, Hugh Evans maintained an aura of professionalism that was unmistakable,” said Bob Delaney, a former NBA official. “Regardless of who he knew, including coaches, he always gave off the vibe of ‘I’m here to work and I understand I should not be the focus of attention.'”
Longtime referee Joey Crawford stated, “Players and coaches genuinely liked him because he had a good manner. He was completely different from me, which I suppose is why they appreciated him.”
His integrity, knowledge of the game, and professionalism as a referee were all top-tier. He was always prepared and ready to perform his job. His preparation was nothing short of magnificent. Every time he stepped on the court, I knew we were going to get his best.
— Hall of Famer Lenny Wilkens, on Hugh Evans’ officiating career
Evans, who passed away at the age of 81 in July due to congestive heart failure, will officially be honored on Saturday night. His presenters will be Reggie Miller and George Gervin. Their relationships with him developed more after his retirement than during his active career from 1973-2001.
“Evans’ widow, Cathy, told NBA.com last week, ‘He preferred to maintain a professional demeanor. However, he developed relationships with some of the players he respected,”.
Anyone who knows a little about Lenny Wilkens, that rare Hall member elected both as a player (1989) and a coach (1998), can guess that Wilkens appreciated Evans’ dignity and professionalism. Coincidentally, Evans — an excellent athlete from North Carolina A&T — had been selected as the 79th pick in the 1963 Draft by the St. Louis Hawks, the team for which Wilkens starred. Evans never made the roster, though.
“Wilkens stated, “I was not acquainted with him as a player, yet his integrity, game knowledge, and professionalism were superior in his role as a referee. He was always prepared and ready to perform his duties. His preparation was outstanding. Every time he entered the court, I was certain we would receive his utmost effort.”
Discussing the highest-ranking officials in the NBA, he stands among them. He had a straightforward approach. However, we were confident that he would ensure fairness in the game and make judgments based on his observations. Knowing him was indeed a delight.
A unique NBA officiating journey
Evans is also the first African-American referee to join the 17 members of the Hall, a distinction that his family and friends take great pride in. Delaney, who put him up for nomination, commented, “I met Hugh Evans for the first time in 1985 and I often heard people refer to him as ‘the best Black NBA referee.’ I never quite understood why they felt the need to include the term ‘Black’ – he was simply one of the best NBA referees of all time, a sentiment that the Naismith Hall concurs with.”
Evans had an impressive career in the NBA, officiating 1,969 regular season games, 170 playoff games, 35 NBA Finals games, and four All-Star Games over the course of 28 seasons. However, his entry into the league was equally remarkable. He bypassed officiating at the high school and college level and went straight to the pros, a feat that is as notable as his accomplishments once he arrived.
During the 1988 NBA Finals, a game is refereed by Hugh Evans.
Evans, a robust man standing at 6-foot-4, chose to pursue baseball after leaving North Carolina A&T. He spent three seasons with the farm system of the San Francisco Giants. Eventually, he relocated to New York and took up the role of director at a community center in Brooklyn. It was there that he refereed some rec league games. Before long, he brought his officiating skills to the famed Rucker League, a place where some of the best players in the game maintained their fitness on the summer asphalt courts.
He invested $100 in joining an officials’ camp. A few weeks later, despite failing his initial exam, he managed to pass. Additionally, he attracted the attention of a camp instructor.
Evans remembered years later, “He told me that college games would be a waste of time for me since I already had the skills necessary to succeed in the pros.”
In 1972, at the age of 31, Evans was signed to a part-time contract, which was upgraded to full-time the following year. Despite the challenges, he found support from notable stars like Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Walt Frazier and others who recognized him from his work at Rucker Park in Harlem.
Evans was one of the pioneering Black referees in the NBA, with only a handful of others, including Ken Hudson (1968-72), preceding him. Naturally, he was subjected to a type of heckling that most of his counterparts did not experience.
“Cathy Evans reminded, “Remember, that was during the ’70s and ’80s. I remember attending a game in Houston where a fan was endlessly ranting. Hugh was not the type to engage in a back-and-forth with a fan. He would simply summon security.”
I recall contemplating, ‘This fellow is about to depart and he’s completely unaware.’ I had observed Hugh approach the table, followed by the table guy seeking security. Before we knew it, they were escorting the youngster out.
“He lacked the time and didn’t wish to detract from the game. That’s the purpose of security – to allow them to carry out their duties.”
Evans ‘only cared about the game’
Contrary to how he distanced himself from players and coaches, Evans was quite different with his work colleagues. He was always willing and ready to serve as a resource and mentor, eagerly sharing his acquired knowledge about the game.
In 1998, Hugh Evans converses with other referees during a game.
“His demeanor was incredibly reassuring, especially to a young referee,” Delaney stated. “When you enter an arena as a stranger, wanting to prove your worth, he provided the strength needed for that.”
Despite possessing strong leadership qualities, he wasn’t a man who would say, ‘I told you to do this’ or ‘I told you to do that.’ Instead, he demonstrated the correct course of action. He guided you on this path, using his excellent teaching skills to effectively communicate his points.
Crawford added, “Some older guys were control freaks, which made learning difficult. But Hugh was completely different. He would simply say, ‘Do it.’ If an incident occurred on the floor, he had no issue with you approaching the scorers’ table, managing the clock, and communicating with the coaches.”
Back in the day, there were no platforms like the Las Vegas [Summer League] that offered you opportunities to learn refereeing. You had to pick up the skills while on the job itself. Some veteran referees would severely criticize you in the locker room if your refereeing style didn’t match theirs. However, Hubert was quite unassuming and his only concern was the game itself.
“Duke, or Mike Callahan as he’s also known, is my best friend. When he first started out, he would always say, ‘I prefer working with Hugh than you.'”
Evans, after retiring as a game official in 2001, served as an NBA assistant supervisor of officials for two seasons. Despite being retired, he remained committed to contributing to the game.
Hugh Evans officiated his final NBA game during the 2001 NBA Finals.
Cathy Evans recalled, “Sometimes, during our travels together, he would skip dinner just to let the young referees watch certain games. He would tell me, ‘I’m heading to so-and-so’s room to analyze this game footage.'”
Even after his retirement, the guys would still call him. They’d tell him, “I’m covering an ESPN game tonight. If you get a chance, could you watch that game and send me some notes?”
Evans spent a significant part of his career living in Richmond, Va., before relocating to Florida and eventually Atlanta. He was a skilled golfer and often played with Sam Jones, a Boston Celtics Hall of Famer who passed away last December, and Luis Grillo, a former NBA referee.
In April, Evans, despite his deteriorating health, along with his wife Cathy and Delaney – who was powering Evans’ wheelchair – visited the men’s NCAA Final Four in New Orleans for the announcement of his induction into the referee’s Hall of Fame. The warm reception he received during that weekend, comprised of congratulations from ex-NBA players, coaches, referees, and even greetings from fans, compensates for what he will be missing this weekend in Springfield.
If you didn’t referee the way some older referees preferred, they would severely criticize you in the locker room. Hubert, however, was unassuming and focused solely on the game.
— Joey Crawford, on Hugh Evans
“Delaney said, ‘I believe Hugh somewhat realized he was weakening, and that’s why attending the Final Four was significant. He was aware that he would gain recognition there.'”
Nobody truly desires to receive an award or recognition after their death. Luckily for Evans, the warmth he experienced at the Superdome and in the subsequent three months before his demise gave him, Cathy, and their sons Aaron and Todd a glimpse of the joy that the basketball community felt for him.
“Cathy stated, ‘He received an email from Russ Granik, the former NBA deputy commissioner. He also received phone calls from Matt Winick, a longtime league executive who was in charge of referees’ scheduling for many years. He received numerous calls and texts. Among them was a text from Doc Rivers, the coach of Philadelphia, who mentioned that he and some other coaches had spent over an hour discussing Hugh.'”
“I’m simply glad that he was aware that he was entering.”
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Steve Aschburner has written about the NBA since 1980. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.
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