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 his role was to be esteemed, not necessarily loved. In due course, he became so proficient at gaining respect that he couldn’t help but sense a great deal of affection as well.
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 resident of Squire, W.Va., deemed it crucial to maintain a certain distance from the participants to eliminate any chance or hint of being influenced through friendship. He managed to do this successfully, but still ended up with numerous work friends.
“Former NBA official Bob Delaney described how Hugh Evans would approach his job. He’d walk to the center of the floor, and regardless of who was present – be it coaches or acquaintances – he carried an air of professionalism. His presence silently communicated, ‘I’m here to do my job, not to be the center of attention’,” said Delaney.
Longtime referee Joey Crawford stated, “Players and coaches genuinely liked him due to his pleasant demeanor. He was completely different from me, which I assume is the reason they favored 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 duties. His preparation was impressive. Every time he stepped onto the floor, I knew we would receive his best effort.
— 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 be officially enshrined on Saturday night. Reggie Miller and George Gervin will be his presenters. It’s fair to say that their relationships with Evans grew more after his retirement than during his active career from 1973-2001.
“Evans’ widow, Cathy, conveyed to NBA.com last week that he preferred to maintain a strictly professional demeanor. However, she added that he did have personal relationships with some players he greatly 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 said, “I wasn’t familiar with him as a player. However, his integrity, game knowledge, and professionalism as a referee were unparalleled. He was always prepared and ready for the task. His preparation was exemplary. I was certain that he would give his best every time he stepped on the court.”
Discussing the leading authorities in the NBA, he definitely ranks among them. He was a straightforward individual. However, we were confident that he would ensure a fair game and make calls based on his honest judgment. Having known him was indeed a delight.
A unique NBA officiating journey
Evans is not only the first African-American referee in the Hall’s 17 but also a source of pride for his family and friends. The person who nominated him, Delaney, shared his views on Evans, saying, “I met Hugh Evans for the first time in 1985. People often referred to him as ‘the best Black NBA referee.’ I could never comprehend why the word ‘Black’ was necessary. In my opinion, he was one of the best NBA referees of all time, a sentiment echoed by the Naismith Hall.”
Evans worked in 28 NBA seasons, during which he officiated 1,969 regular season games, 170 playoff games, 35 NBA Finals games, and four All-Star Games. However, his entrance into the league was equally impressive, as he bypassed officiating high school or college games and went straight to the professional level.
During the 1988 NBA Finals, a game is refereed by Hugh Evans.
Upon leaving North Carolina A&T, the robust 6-foot-4 Evans chose to pursue baseball and spent three seasons playing in the San Francisco Giants’ minor league system. He later relocated to New York, where he became the director of a community center in Brooklyn. This is where he started refereeing some recreational league games. Before long, he brought his whistle to the renowned Rucker League, a summer blacktop where some of basketball’s greatest players kept fit.
He invested $100 in joining an officials’ camp. A few weeks later, despite failing the initial exam, he succeeded. He also managed to attract the attention of a camp instructor.
Years later, Evans remembered him saying, “You would be wasting your time with college games because you already have what it takes to make it in the pros.”
In 1972, Evans, who was 31 at the time, was signed to a part-time contract, before transitioning to a full-time position the next year. Despite the challenges, he found support in the recognition from stars like Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Walt Frazier, and others who were familiar with his work at Rucker Park in Harlem.
Evans was among the pioneering 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 peers did not face.
Cathy Evans said, “You must understand, this was during the ’70s and ’80s. I remember being at a game in Houston where a fan was incessantly ranting. Hugh, however, was not the type to engage in a verbal spar with a fan. He would simply signal for security.”
I recall thinking, ‘He’s about to be escorted out and he’s completely oblivious.’ I had observed Hugh approach the table, then saw the man at the table head to security. Before long, they were leading the young man away.
“He was short on time and didn’t wish to detract from the game. That’s the purpose of security – to allow them to perform their duties.”
Evans ‘only cared about the game’
Contrary to how he distanced himself from players and coaches, Evans was highly approachable for his fellow workers. He was always ready to serve as a mentor and resource, eager to impart the knowledge he had gained about the game in real-time.
During a game in 1998, Hugh Evans converses with other referees.
“His demeanor was incredibly reassuring, especially for a young referee,” said Delaney. “When you step into an arena where no one recognizes you, there’s a need to prove your worth. He provided that kind of empowerment.”
Although he possessed remarkable leadership qualities, he was not the type to boss people around. Instead, he led by example, demonstrating the right actions. He provided encouragement throughout the process and had an excellent approach to teaching, which effectively drove his point home.
Crawford further added, “Some older guys were control freaks, making it difficult to learn. However, Hugh was completely different. He would simply say, ‘Do it.’ If an issue arose on the floor, he had no issue letting you go to the scorers’ table to handle the clock and communicate with the coaches.”
Back in the day, you didn’t have the Las Vegas Summer League or multiple venues to help you learn refereeing. It was a learn-as-you-go job. Some experienced referees would brutally criticize you in the locker room if your style didn’t match theirs. However, Hubert was laid-back and focused solely on the game.
“Duke, or Mike Callahan as he’s also known, always used to say ‘I prefer working with Hugh over you’ when he first started out. He and I are the best of friends.”
Evans retired from his role as a game official in 2001 and subsequently spent two seasons as an NBA assistant supervisor of officials. Despite being retired, he remained committed to contributing to the game.
During the 2001 NBA Finals, Hugh Evans refereed his last NBA game.
“Cathy Evans recounted, “There were instances when I journeyed with him, he would give up dinner as he wanted the novice referees to observe certain games. He would assert, ‘Take note, I’m heading to so-and-so’s room to analyze this tape.'”
Even after he retired, the guys would still call him. They’d say things like, “I’m covering an ESPN game tonight. If you’re free, could you watch the game and send me some notes?”
For a significant portion of his career, Evans resided in Richmond, Va., before relocating to Florida and eventually Atlanta. He was a skilled golfer, often playing alongside Sam Jones, a Hall of Famer from the Boston Celtics who passed away last December, and Luis Grillo, a former NBA referee.
In April, Evans, despite his deteriorating health, journeyed to the men’s NCAA Final Four in New Orleans along with his wife Cathy and Delaney, who was acting as the driving force of his wheelchair. The trip was for the announcement of his induction into the referee’s Hall of Fame. The warm reception he received that weekend, which included congratulations from former NBA players, coaches, and referees as well as greetings from fans, more than compensated for what he would miss the following weekend in Springfield.
If you didn’t officiate the game to the liking of some older referees, they would confront you harshly in the locker room. Hubert, however, was unassuming and solely focused on the game.
— Joey Crawford, on Hugh Evans
“Delaney expressed, ‘Hugh somewhat realized he was declining, which is why attending the Final Four was crucial for him. He understood that it was there where he would receive recognition.'”
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 three months prior to his demise demonstrated to him, his wife Cathy, and sons Aaron and Todd, the extent of the basketball world’s joy for him.
Cathy shared that he received an email from Russ Granik, the former NBA deputy commissioner. Additionally, he received phone calls from Matt Winick, a longtime league executive who had been in charge of scheduling referees for many years. He was also bombarded with numerous calls and text messages. She mentioned that Doc Rivers, the coach of Philadelphia, had even texted him to say that he and some other coaches had spent over an hour discussing Hugh.
“I’m simply glad that he was aware 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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