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

Hugh Evans always believed his role was to command respect rather than to be liked. However, as time passed, he became so proficient at earning respect that he couldn’t help but sense a significant amount of liking 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., felt it was crucial to maintain a professional distance from the participants to eliminate any chances or implications of biased behavior due to friendships. Despite his efforts, he still managed to form numerous work friendships.

“Even in the presence of coaches and acquaintances, Hugh Evans would stride to the center of the floor with an air of professionalism,” said Bob Delaney, a former NBA official. “He carried this aura of ‘I’m here to perform a duty and I understand that I’m not meant to be the focal point.'”

Longtime referee Joey Crawford stated, “Players and coaches were really fond of him due to his pleasing personality. He was completely different from me, which is perhaps why they liked him so much.”

“His integrity, game knowledge, and professionalism as a referee were all top-tier. He was always prepared and ready to do his job excellently. His preparation was exceptional. I was confident that we would always get his best effort every time he stepped on the court.”

— Hall of Famer Lenny Wilkens, on Hugh Evans’ officiating career

Evans, who passed away in July at the age of 81 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 mention that their relationships with Evans grew more after his retirement than during his active years from 1973 to 2001.

“Evans always preferred to maintain a professional approach,” his widow, Cathy, shared with NBA.com last week. “However, he did develop 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 not acquainted with him as a player. However, in his capacity as a referee, he demonstrated top-tier integrity, game knowledge, and professionalism. He was consistently prepared and ready for his role. His preparation was exemplary. I was confident that he would always deliver his best whenever he stepped onto the floor.”

Discussing the leading figures in the NBA, he’s certainly among them. He was a straightforward person. However, we were confident that he would ensure a fair game and make judgment calls based on his perception. It was an honor to have known him.

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A unique NBA officiating journey

Evans has the honor of being the first African-American referee in the Hall’s 17, a source of pride for his family and friends. Delaney, who put forth his nomination, stated, “I initially met Hugh Evans in 1985, and I often heard him referred to as ‘the best Black NBA referee.’ I never comprehended why the term ‘Black’ was used – he was undoubtedly one of the top NBA referees of all time, a sentiment echoed by the Naismith Hall.”

Evans worked 1,969 regular season games, 170 playoff games, 35 NBA Finals games, and four All-Star Games over the course of 28 NBA seasons. However, his journey to the league was equally impressive as his accomplishments within it. Remarkably, Evans bypassed officiating at the high school or college level, going straight to the professional level.

Evans, a robust 6-foot-4 man, chose baseball after leaving North Carolina A&T and spent three seasons in the San Francisco Giants’ minor league system. He later relocated to New York and assumed the role of director at a community center in Brooklyn. It was there that he refereed some recreational league games before he eventually brought his whistle to the legendary Rucker League. This is where many of the sport’s top players maintained their fitness on the summer asphalt courts.

He shelled out $100 for enrollment in an officials’ camp and failed the initial exam a few weeks later, but he eventually passed. Additionally, he managed to grab the attention of a camp instructor.

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

In 1972, 31-year-old Evans was signed to a part-time contract, and he became a full-time employee the next year. Despite the challenge, it was beneficial to him that stars like Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Walt Frazier, and others recognized him from his work at Rucker Park in Harlem.

Evans was among the pioneers of Black referees in the NBA, with only a handful, including Ken Hudson (1968-72), coming before him. As expected, he encountered a level of heckling that most of his peers did not experience.

Cathy Evans recounted, “Keep in mind, this was during the ’70s and ’80s. I remember being at a game in Houston where a fan just wouldn’t stop. Hugh wasn’t one to engage in back-and-forths with fans. He’d simply summon security.”

I recall thinking, ‘He’s about to be escorted out and he’s completely unaware.’ I had noticed Hugh approach the table, and then the man at the table went to security. Before you knew it, they were removing the young man.

“He lacked time and didn’t want to distract from the game. That’s 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 fellow workers. He readily served as a resource and mentor, eager to impart the knowledge he had acquired about the game on the fly.

“His demeanor was extremely reassuring, especially for a younger referee,” said Delaney. “When you enter an arena where no one recognizes you, there’s a desire to prove your worth. He provided that sense of strength.”

He possessed formidable leadership traits, but he wasn’t the type to bark orders like ‘I told you to do this’ and ‘I told you to do that.’ Instead, he led by example, showcasing the right actions. He also had a knack for guiding and teaching in a compelling manner to make his point clear.

Crawford added, “Some of the older guys were control freaks, which made learning difficult. However, Hugh was completely different. He would simply say, ‘Do it.’ If an incident occurred on the floor, he had no issues with you approaching the scorers’ table, managing the clock, or conversing with the coaches.”

In the past, resources like the Las Vegas Summer League and other venues for aspiring referees didn’t exist. You had to learn the intricacies of refereeing while actually doing the job. Some experienced referees would harshly criticize you in the locker room if your refereeing style didn’t match theirs. However, Hubert was different. He was low-key and his primary concern was the game itself.

“Duke”, whose real name is Mike Callahan, is my best friend. When he started working, he would often say, ‘I prefer working with Hugh over you.’ “

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

Cathy Evans reminisced, “At times when I traveled with him, he would willingly skip meals because he wanted the young referees to watch some games. He’d tell 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 tell him, “I’m covering an ESPN game tonight. Can you watch the game and send me your notes if you have time?”

Throughout much of his career, Evans resided in Richmond, Va., before relocating to Florida and eventually Atlanta. He was an adept 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, who was in poor health, traveled to the men’s NCAA Final Four in New Orleans with his wife Cathy and Delaney, the driving force behind his wheelchair. This trip was for the announcement of his induction into the referee’s Hall of Fame. The warm reception he received that weekend, including congratulations from former NBA players, coaches, referees and even fans stopping to say hello, compensated for what he would miss in Springfield this weekend.

If you didn’t referee to some older referees’ liking, they would harshly criticize you in the locker room. Hubert, on the other hand, was unassuming and focused solely on the game.

— Joey Crawford, on Hugh Evans

“Delaney expressed, ‘I believe Hugh was somewhat aware that he was struggling, and that’s why attending the Final Four was significant. He knew 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 during the three months prior to his demise demonstrated to him, his wife Cathy, and his sons Aaron and Todd, just how thrilled the basketball community was for him.

“Cathy mentioned that he received an email from Russ Granik, the former NBA deputy commissioner. He also had phone calls from Matt Winick, a longtime league executive who used to handle the scheduling for referees. Numerous calls and text messages were sent to him. Cathy even pointed out that Doc Rivers, the coach of Philadelphia, texted to say he and other coaches had a discussion about Hugh for over an hour,” she said.

“I’m simply glad he was aware that 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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