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

Hugh Evans consistently believed that his role was to earn respect rather than affection. However, as time went by, he became so proficient at gaining respect that he inevitably felt a considerable amount 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 native of Squire, W.Va. considered it crucial to maintain a certain distance from the participants to eliminate any chance or even the hint of his integrity being compromised by a friendship. He managed to do this successfully, but still ended up with a lot of friends at work.

“Even in the midst of coaches and various acquaintances, Hugh Evans would stride to the center of the floor, emanating an aura that seemed to say ‘I’m here to perform a duty and I understand I’m not meant to be the spotlight,’ ” said Bob Delaney, a former NBA official, about Evans.

Longtime referee Joey Crawford stated, “Players and coaches genuinely liked him due to his pleasant demeanor. He was completely different from me, which I suppose is why they favored him.”

“…His integrity, knowledge of the game, and professionalism as a referee were all top-tier. He was consistently prepared and ready to perform his duties. His preparation was outstanding. Every time he took to the floor, I knew we were in for his best performance.”

— 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 on Saturday night. His presenters, Reggie Miller and George Gervin, are said to have developed a stronger connection with him after his retirement than during his active years from 1973-2001.

“Evans was all about business,” his widow, Cathy, disclosed to NBA.com last week. “However, he maintained relationships with those players who earned his respect.”

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 never had the chance to know him as a player. However, as a referee, his integrity, understanding of the game, and professionalism were all first-rate. He was always prepared and ready to work. His preparation was simply outstanding. I was confident that whenever he set foot on the court, he would give his best.”

Discussing the leading figures in the NBA, he ranks highly. He was a straightforward person. However, we were confident that the game would be impartial and he would make calls as he perceived them. Knowing him was truly a pleasure.

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A unique NBA officiating journey

Evans has made history as the first African-American referee to be included among the 17 inductees of the Hall. His family and friends take great pride in this unique honor. Delaney, who nominated him, reminisced about their first meeting in 1985, “People referred to Hugh Evans as ‘the best Black NBA referee,’ a label I never comprehended. To me, the color of his skin was irrelevant – he was undoubtedly one of the finest NBA referees of all times, a sentiment echoed by the Naismith Hall.”

Evans served in 28 NBA seasons, officiating 1,969 regular season games, 170 playoff games, 35 NBA Finals games, and four All-Star Games. However, his entrance into the league was as remarkable as his actions after he joined. Evans bypassed officiating high school or college games and directly jumped to the professional level.

Evans, a sturdy 6-foot-4 gentleman, chose to pursue a career in baseball after leaving North Carolina A&T. He spent three seasons playing in the San Francisco Giants’ minor league system. Later, he relocated to New York and took up the role of director at a community center in Brooklyn. It was here that he began officiating recreational league games. Before long, he brought his whistle to the renowned Rucker League, a place where many of basketball’s greatest players kept fit during the summer on the blacktop courts.

He paid $100 to join an officials’ camp, and a couple of weeks later, he passed the exam after initially failing. Additionally, he managed to attract the attention of a camp instructor.

Evans remembered years later, “He told me that attending college games would be a waste of time because I already had the skills to succeed in the professional leagues.”

In 1972, Evans, who was 31 at the time, was signed to a part-time contract and then promoted to full-time the following year. Despite the challenges, he mentioned that his work at Rucker Park in Harlem helped him get recognized by stars like Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Walt Frazier, and others.

Evans was among the first Black referees in the NBA, only after Ken Hudson (1968-72) and a handful of others. As expected, he encountered a type of heckling that most of his colleagues were not subjected to.

Cathy Evans reminisced, “You must understand, this was during the ’70s and ’80s. I remember attending a game in Houston where one fan just wouldn’t stop. Unlike others, Hugh never engaged in arguments with fans, he simply called for security.”

‘I recall thinking, ‘He’s about to be escorted out, and he’s totally clueless.’ I had spotted Hugh approaching the table and then noticed the man from the table heading towards security. Before I knew it, they were leading the young man away.

“He lacked time and didn’t wish to detract from the game. That’s the purpose of security – to let them handle their responsibilities.”

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Evans ‘only cared about the game’

Concerning his coworkers, Evans acted contrary to the way he distanced himself from players and coaches. He was readily available as a resource and mentor, keen to impart the knowledge he had acquired about the game in real-time.

“His demeanor was incredibly reassuring for a novice referee,” said Delaney. “When you enter an arena as a stranger, your goal is to prove your worth. He provided that kind of strength.”

He possessed remarkable leadership skills, yet he was not the type to boss people around. He demonstrated what needed to be done and guided you towards it, using an effective teaching approach to emphasize his point.

Crawford added, “There were some older individuals who were excessively controlling, which made learning difficult. However, Hugh was entirely different. His attitude was more like, ‘Go ahead.’ If an incident occurred on the floor, he didn’t have any issue with you proceeding to the scorers’ table to manage the clock or communicate with the coaches.”

Back in the day, there were no platforms like the Las Vegas Summer League for learning to referee. Training was on-the-spot. Some senior referees would harshly criticize you in the locker room if your refereeing style didn’t match theirs. Hubert, however, was unassuming and only focused on the game.

“Duke, whose real name is Mike Callahan, is my best friend. When he first came on the scene, he always used to say, ‘I prefer working with Hugh more than with you’.”

Evans, having stepped down as a game official in 2001, took on the role of an NBA assistant supervisor of officials for two seasons. Despite being retired, he remained dedicated to contributing to the game.

“Cathy Evans recounted, “There were occasions when I accompanied him on his travels. He would often skip dinner because he wanted the young referees to observe certain games. He would inform us, ‘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 often say, “I’m covering an ESPN game tonight. If you can, could you watch the game and send me some notes?”

For a significant part 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 Boston Celtics Hall of Famer who passed away the previous December, and Luis Grillo, a former NBA referee.

In April, Evans, despite his own deteriorating health, along with his wife Cathy and Delaney – who powered his wheelchair – attended the men’s NCAA Final Four in New Orleans. This was for the announcement of his induction into the referee’s Hall. The warm reception he received that weekend from former NBA players, coaches, referees, and even fans who paused to greet him, compensated for what he would miss this weekend in Springfield.

If you didn’t officiate in a way that some older referees approved of, they would berate you in the locker room. However, Hubert was more subtle and only cared about the game itself.

— Joey Crawford, on Hugh Evans

“Delaney said, “I believe Hugh was somewhat aware that he was faltering, which is why it was crucial for him to attend the Final Four. He understood that he would gain recognition there.”

Nobody truly desires to receive an award or recognition after their death. Luckily for Evans, the warm reception he experienced at the Superdome, and in the following three months before his demise, demonstrated to him, his wife Cathy, and his 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. He also received phone calls from Matt Winick, a longtime league executive who used to handle the referees’ scheduling. Moreover, he received numerous calls and text messages. Doc Rivers, the coach for Philadelphia, even texted him to say that he and a few other coaches had a lengthy discussion about Hugh for over an hour,” she explained.

“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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