'No-nonsense' referee Hugh Evans gets his due in Springfield

Hugh Evans consistently believed that his role was to earn respect, not affection. Eventually, he became so proficient at gaining respect that he inevitably felt a significant amount of affection too.

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 perceived risk of his integrity being compromised due to close friendships. Despite his efforts, he still managed to form numerous professional friendships.

“Even when he was surrounded by coaches and other acquaintances, Hugh Evans had a unique aura about him,” said Bob Delaney, a former NBA official. “He would stride to the center of the floor and exude an understanding that his role was not to be the center of attention, but to do his job.”

Longtime referee Joey Crawford stated, “Players and coaches genuinely liked him due to his commendable demeanor. He was completely different from me, which I guess is the reason they were fond of him.”

His integrity, knowledge of the game, and professionalism as a referee were all top-tier. He was always prepared and ready to carry out his job impeccably. His preparation was outstanding. I was always confident that we would receive his best effort every time he stepped out onto the court.

— 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 inducted Saturday night with Reggie Miller and George Gervin presenting him. It can be said that their relationships with Evans developed more after his retirement, rather than during his active career from 1973-2001.

“Evans preferred to maintain a professional stance,” his widow, Cathy, informed NBA.com last week. “However, he did foster relationships with some of the players he respected,” she added.

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 never acquainted with him as a player. However, in his role as a referee, his integrity, grasp of the game, and professionalism were all of the highest caliber. He was always primed and ready for the task at hand. His preparation was nothing short of excellent. I was confident that every time he stepped onto the court, he would give his best.”

Discussing the highest-ranking officials in the NBA, he certainly ranks among them. He was a straightforward individual. However, we were assured of a fair game as he would call it just as he perceived it. Knowing him was indeed a delight.

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A unique NBA officiating journey

Evans has also made history as the first African-American referee to be included in the Hall’s 17, a milestone that fills his family and friends with pride. His nominator, Delaney, recounts, “I first crossed paths with Hugh Evans in 1985, and it was commonplace to hear praises about him being ‘the best Black NBA referee.’ However, I never grasped why his race was highlighted – he was simply one of the best NBA referees of all time, a sentiment echoed by the Naismith Hall.”

Evans served across 28 seasons in the NBA, officiating 1,969 regular season games, 170 playoff games, 35 NBA Finals games, and four All-Star Games. However, his journey to the league was equally noteworthy as his in-league achievements: Evans made an impressive leap straight to the pros, without ever officiating a high school or college game.

Upon leaving North Carolina A&T, the robust 6-foot-4 Evans chose to pursue baseball and spent three seasons in the San Francisco Giants’ minor league system. He later relocated to New York and took on the role of director at a Brooklyn community center. It was there that he began officiating recreational league games. Eventually, he brought his whistle to the legendary Rucker League, a summer blacktop where many of the greatest basketball players kept fit.

He invested $100 in an officials’ camp registration. A few weeks later, despite failing his first test, he managed to pass. His performance also attracted the attention of a camp instructor.

Years later, Evans remembered being told, “He said going to college would be a waste of time for me because I already had what was needed to succeed in the pros.”

In 1972, Evans, who was 31 at the time, was signed on a part-time contract, before being elevated to a full-time position the next year. Despite the challenge, he found support from recognisable stars like Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Walt Frazier, and others who recognized him from 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. Unsurprisingly, he was subjected to a type of heckling that most of his peers did not experience.

“Cathy Evans recalled, “You must bear in mind, these were the ’70s and ’80s. I can remember being at a game in Houston where a fan just wouldn’t stop. Hugh was never one to engage in back and forth with a fan. He’d simply call for security.”

“I recall contemplating, ‘This fellow is about to leave and he’s unaware of it.’ I had witnessed Hugh approach the table and then, I saw the man at the table head towards security. Before we knew it, they were escorting the young man out.

“He lacked time and he didn’t want to detract from the game. This is the purpose of security – to allow them to perform their duties.”

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Evans ‘only cared about the game’

Contrary to how he distanced himself from players and coaches, Evans was quite the opposite with his work colleagues. He readily shared his knowledge about the game, serving as a willing resource and a ready mentor, always eager to impart what he had learned on the go.

“His demeanor was incredibly reassuring to a younger referee,” said Delaney. “When you enter an arena as an unknown, you strive to demonstrate your worth. He bestowed upon you that kind of power.

He possessed strong leadership traits, yet he wasn’t the type to constantly issue orders. Instead, he demonstrated the right actions and guided you along with effective teaching methods to make his point.

Crawford also added, “Some of the 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 court, he didn’t mind you approaching the scorers’ table, managing the clock, or speaking with the coaches.”

Back in the day, there wasn’t Las Vegas Summer League or numerous venues to learn refereeing. It was a learn-as-you-go job. Some senior referees would harshly criticize you in the locker room if your style didn’t match theirs. But Hubert was different, he was unassuming and only focused on the game.

“Duke, also known as Mike Callahan, who is my best friend, always used to say that he preferred working with Hugh over me when he first started.”

Evans served as an NBA assistant supervisor of officials for two seasons after resigning from his position as a game official in 2001. Despite being retired, he remained committed to contributing to the game.

“Cathy Evans recounted, “There were instances when I accompanied him on his travels. He would often skip dinner as he wanted the young referees to watch certain games. He would announce, ‘I’m off to so-and-so’s room to analyze this tape.'”

“Even after his retirement, the guys would still call him. They’d tell him, ‘I’m covering an ESPN game tonight. If you’re free, could you watch the game and send me your observations?'”

Evans spent a significant portion of his career residing in Richmond, Va., before relocating to Florida and eventually Atlanta. He was a skilled golfer who often played with Boston Celtics Hall of Famer, Sam Jones (who passed away the previous December), and ex-NBA referee, Luis Grillo.

In April, Evans, despite his declining health, along with his wife Cathy and Delaney — who served as the driving force of his wheelchair — journeyed to the men’s NCAA Final Four in New Orleans. The trip was for the announcement of his induction into the referee’s Hall of Fame. The warm reception he received that weekend from former NBA players, coaches, referees, and even fans who stopped to greet him, compensated for what he would miss later in Springfield.

If you didn’t officiate in a way that some older referees approved of, they would harshly criticize you in the locker room. Hubert, on the other hand, was understated and his sole focus was on the game.

— Joey Crawford, on Hugh Evans

“Delaney believes that Hugh was aware of his declining condition and hence, felt the need to attend the Final Four. He was certain that he would receive recognition there,” she said.

Nobody truly desires to receive an award or achieve recognition after death. Luckily for Evans, the warmth he experienced at the Superdome, and in the subsequent three months before his demise, demonstrated to him, his wife Cathy, and his sons Aaron and Todd, the joy the basketball community felt for him.

“Cathy said, ‘He received an email from Russ Granik, who used to be the NBA deputy commissioner. He also got phone calls from Matt Winick, a longtime league executive who managed the referees’ scheduling for many years. He was flooded with calls and text messages. Philadelphia coach, Doc Rivers, even texted him, saying that he and some other coaches had discussed Hugh for over an hour.”

“I’m simply glad 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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