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 affection. However, as he became increasingly proficient at earning respect, he couldn’t help but notice that he was also receiving a considerable amount of affection.
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. considered it crucial to maintain a certain distance from the participants to eliminate any potential risk or insinuation of being influenced by friendship. He successfully managed to do so, but still ended up with numerous work friends.
“Hugh Evans would position himself at the center of the floor,” said former NBA official Bob Delaney, “and regardless of his familiarity with coaches and others around him, he possessed an aura that suggested ‘I am here to perform a task and I am aware that I should not command attention.'”
Longtime referee Joey Crawford stated, “He was well-liked by players and coaches because of his pleasant demeanor. He was completely different from me, which I suppose is why they liked him.”
His integrity, knowledge of the game, and professionalism as a referee were top-tier. He was always prepared and ready to do his job exceptionally. I knew that every time he set foot on the court, he would give his best. His preparation was superb.
— Hall of Famer Lenny Wilkens, on Hugh Evans’ officiating career
Evans, who passed away from congestive heart failure at the age of 81 in July, will officially be inducted on Saturday night. Reggie Miller and George Gervin will be his presenters. It’s fair to suggest that their relationships with him developed more after his retirement than during his active career from 1973 to 2001.
“Evans’ widow, Cathy, said to NBA.com last week, ‘He preferred to maintain a strictly professional approach. However, he formed relationships with some 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 didn’t know him in his capacity as a player. However, in his role as a referee, his integrity, understanding of the game, and professionalism were all unsurpassed. He was consistently prepared to perform his duties. His preparation was superb. I was confident that every time he set foot on the court, he would give his utmost.”
Discussing the leading figures in the NBA, he ranks among the highest. He was a straightforward individual. However, we were confident that he would ensure fairness in the game and make calls based on his judgement. Having known him was indeed a delight.
A unique NBA officiating journey
Evans is also the first African-American referee to be included amongst the Hall’s 17, an achievement that his family and friends take great pride in. Delaney, the individual who nominated him, stated: “I made Hugh Evans’ acquaintance in 1985. Often, I would hear people describe him as ‘the best Black NBA referee.’ I never really understood the need for specifying his race – he was one of the finest NBA referees of all time, a sentiment echoed by the Naismith Hall.”
Evans spent 28 NBA seasons officiating 1,969 regular season games, 170 playoff games, 35 NBA Finals games, and four All-Star Games. However, his entry into the league was just as notable as his achievements after he joined. Remarkably, Evans bypassed officiating at high school or college games, going straight into the professional league.
During the 1988 NBA Finals, a game is refereed by Hugh Evans.
After leaving North Carolina A&T, the robust 6-foot-4 Evans chose to pursue baseball and played three seasons in the San Francisco Giants’ farm system. He later relocated to New York and took on the role of a community center director in Brooklyn. There, he refereed some recreational league games and eventually started officiating in the renowned Rucker League. This is where some of the most exceptional players of the game kept in shape on the summer blacktops.
He invested $100 in joining an officials’ camp and despite failing the initial test a few weeks later, he managed to pass. He also attracted the attention of a camp instructor.
Evans remembered years afterwards, “He told me that attending college games would be a waste of time since I already possessed the skills needed to succeed in the pros.”
In 1972, Evans, who was 31 at the time, was signed to a part-time contract and then transitioned to full-time the following year. Despite the challenge, he found that being recognized by stars like Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Walt Frazier from his work at Rucker Park in Harlem was beneficial.
Evans was among the first Black referees in the NBA, with only Ken Hudson (1968-72) and a handful of others preceding him. As expected, he encountered a type of heckling that most of his colleagues never did.
“You must recollect, this was during the ’70s and ’80s,” stated Cathy Evans. “I remember attending a game in Houston where a fan kept rambling incessantly. Hugh, however, wouldn’t engage in a back-and-forth with a fan. Instead, he would simply summon security.”
I recall contemplating, ‘This fellow is about to depart, oblivious to what’s coming.’ This was because I noticed Hugh approaching the table, followed by the man at the table heading towards security. Before long, they were escorting the young man out.
“He was short on time and didn’t want to detract from the game. That’s precisely why security is there – to let them carry out their duties.”
Evans ‘only cared about the game’
In contrast to how he distanced himself from players and coaches, Evans was quite the opposite with his co-workers. He was a readily available resource and willing mentor, keen to impart the knowledge he had acquired about the game on the go.
In 1998, Hugh Evans conversed with other referees during a game.
Delaney said, “His demeanor was incredibly reassuring for a younger referee. When you enter an arena and nobody knows you, there’s a need to prove your worth. He provided that kind of strength.”
Despite possessing strong leadership qualities, he wasn’t the type to constantly dictate orders. Instead, he demonstrated the right actions through his own behavior. He guided and encouraged others, employing an effective teaching method to convey his message.
Crawford added, “There were some older men who were control freaks, which made learning difficult. However, Hugh was completely different. He would simply say, ‘Go ahead.’ If something occurred on the floor, he had no issue with you approaching the scorers’ table, managing the clock, or conversing with the coaches.”
Back in the day, there wasn’t an opportunity to learn refereeing through venues like the Las Vegas Summer League. You learned by doing the job. Some veteran referees would harshly criticize you in the locker room if you didn’t officiate like them. However, Hubert was different, he was laid-back and focused solely on the game.
“Duke, also known as Mike Callahan, who is my best friend, always said during his initial days, ‘I prefer working with Hugh more than you.'”
Evans stepped down as a game official in 2001 and subsequently served as an NBA assistant supervisor of officials for two seasons. Despite retiring, he remained committed to contributing to the game.
During the 2001 NBA Finals, Hugh Evans refereed his last NBA game.
“Cathy Evans recalls, “There were instances when I accompanied him on his travels, he would opt to skip dinner to allow the young referees to watch some games. He would tell them, ‘I’m heading to so-and-so’s room to analyze this tape.'”
“Even after he retired, the guys would still call him. They would tell him, ‘I’m covering an ESPN game tonight. If you’re free, could you watch the game and send me some feedback?'”
Throughout much of his career, Evans resided in Richmond, Va., before relocating to Florida and eventually Atlanta. He was a skilled golfer and often played with Boston Celtics Hall of Famer Sam Jones, who passed away the previous December, and former NBA referee Luis Grillo.
In April, Evans, despite his deteriorating health, his wife Cathy, and Delaney — who acted as the driving force behind Evans’ wheelchair — journeyed to 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 that weekend, filled with congratulations from former NBA players, coaches, referees, and even fans who stopped to greet him, compensated for what he’ll be missing this weekend in Springfield.
If you didn’t officiate in a way that pleased some of the older referees, they would harshly criticize you in the locker room. However, Hubert was more laid-back and focused solely on the game.
— Joey Crawford, on Hugh Evans
“Delaney expressed, “I believe Hugh somewhat understood that he was faltering, which is why attending the Final Four was significant to him. He recognized that he would gain acknowledgment there.”
Nobody actually desires to receive an award or be recognized after they’ve passed away. Luckily for Evans, the warmth he experienced at the Superdome and throughout the three months leading up to his death proved to him, his wife Cathy, and his sons Aaron and Todd, just how joyous the basketball community was for him.
“Cathy revealed that 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 used to handle the referees’ scheduling. He was inundated with numerous calls and text messages. One particularly memorable message was from Doc Rivers, the Philadelphia coach. He mentioned that he had spent over an hour discussing Hugh with some other coaches,” she said.
“I’m simply glad that he was aware he was going in.”
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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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