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

Hugh Evans always believed his role was to command respect, not affection. As time passed, he became so proficient in earning respect that he couldn’t help but sense a significant 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. deemed it crucial to maintain a certain distance from the participants to prevent any chance or even hint of being influenced by a friendship. He managed to achieve this, but still ended up with numerous work friends.

“Even amidst coaches and various individuals he was acquainted with, Hugh Evans maintained a certain aura of ‘I am here to perform a task and I am aware I shouldn’t be the focus of attention.’ He would stride to the center of the floor,” said Bob Delaney, a former NBA official.

Longtime referee Joey Crawford stated, “Players and coaches really developed a liking for him due to 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 all top-notch. He was always prepared and ready for the job. His preparation was outstanding. I was confident that every time he stepped onto the court, he would give his best.”

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

Evans, who passed away at 81 in July from congestive heart failure, will be officially enshrined this Saturday night. Reggie Miller and George Gervin will present the honors. It’s fair to say that their relationships with Evans flourished more after his retirement than during his active years from 1973-2001.

“Evans was one to keep it strictly professional,” his widow, Cathy, informed NBA.com last week. “However, he did establish a relationship with certain 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 wasn’t acquainted with him as a player. However, in his role as a referee, he was exceptionally professional, knowledgeable about the game, and maintained high integrity. He was consistently prepared to perform his job at an outstanding level. His detailed preparation was impressive. I was confident that he would always give his best every time he stepped on the court.”

Discussing the highest-ranking officials in the NBA, he ranks highly. He was a straightforward individual. However, we were confident that he would ensure a fair game and make calls based on his observations. Knowing him was truly a pleasure.

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A unique NBA officiating journey

Evans is the first African-American referee to be among the 17 members of the Hall, a fact that his family and friends take great pride in. Delaney, who nominated him, shared, “I first encountered Hugh Evans in 1985. People often referred to him as ‘the best Black NBA referee’. I never grasped why ‘Black’ was specified – he was one of the most outstanding NBA referees of all time and the Naismith Hall concurs.”

Evans worked across 28 NBA seasons, covering 1,969 regular season games, 170 playoff games, 35 NBA Finals games and four All-Star Games. However, his entry into the league was equally impressive as his accomplishments within it: Evans made a direct leap to the pros without ever officiating a high school or college game.

Evans, a robust 6-foot-4 individual, chose to pursue baseball after graduating from North Carolina A&T. He played for three seasons in the San Francisco Giants’ minor league system. He later relocated to New York and took up the position of director at a community center in Brooklyn. Here, he refereed a few recreational league games, and before long, he was officiating games in the legendary Rucker League. This is where some of basketball’s greatest players kept fit during the summer on the neighborhood blacktops.

He invested $100 in enrolling in an officials’ camp. After a few weeks, despite failing his first exam, he succeeded in passing. In addition, he managed to attract the attention of a camp instructor.

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

In 1972, Evans, who was then 31, was signed to a part-time contract, before transitioning to a full-time role the next year. Despite the challenges, he found it helpful that basketball luminaries like Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Walt Frazier, and others recognized him from his efforts at Rucker Park in Harlem.

Evans was among the pioneering Black referees in the NBA, following only Ken Hudson (1968-72) and several others. As expected, he encountered a type of heckling that most of his peers did not experience.

“Cathy Evans reminded, “Keep in mind, this was during the ’70s and ’80s. I remember once when we were at a game in Houston, there was this fan who just wouldn’t stop. Hugh never engaged in arguments with fans. He would simply call security.”

I recall thinking, ‘This fellow is about to depart and he isn’t even aware.’ I watched as Hugh approached the table, followed by the table man heading towards security. Before long, they were escorting the young man out.

“He lacked time and didn’t wish to distract from the game. That’s the purpose of security – allowing them to perform their duty.”

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Evans ‘only cared about the game’

In contrast to how he distanced himself from players and coaches, Evans was quite the opposite with his workmates. He was always ready to be a resource and mentor, enthusiastically sharing what he had learned about the game spontaneously.

Delaney stated, “His demeanor was incredibly reassuring for a young referee. When you step into an arena as an unknown, you want to prove your worth. He provided that kind of strength.”

He possessed strong leadership qualities, yet he wasn’t a man who constantly ordered others around. He led by example, demonstrating how tasks should be accomplished. He also guided and encouraged you in a highly effective and instructional manner to make his point clear.

Crawford further stated, “There were some older guys who were control freaks, making it difficult to learn. In contrast, Hugh was completely different. His philosophy was, ‘Go ahead and do it.’ If an issue arose on the floor, he was perfectly fine with you going to the scorers’ table to handle the clock and communicate with the coaches.”

Back in the day, there was no Las Vegas Summer League or other platforms to learn refereeing. You had to acquire those skills while on duty. If you didn’t officiate the game like the veteran referees, they would severely criticize you in the locker room. However, Hubert was a different type, he was reserved and only focused on the game.

“Duke, whose real name is Mike Callahan, and I are best friends. When he started, he would always say, ‘I prefer working with Hugh over you.'”

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

“Cathy Evans recalled, “There were instances when I accompanied him on his travels where he would give up his dinner to allow young referees to watch games. He would announce, ‘I’m headed to so-and-so’s room to analyze this tape.'”

Even after he retired, the guys would still call him. They’d request, ‘I’m covering an ESPN game tonight. If you’re available, could you watch the game and send me some observations?’

For a significant portion 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 ex-NBA referee Luis Grillo.

In April, Evans, suffering from declining health, travelled to the men’s NCAA Final Four in New Orleans with his wife, Cathy, and Delaney, who powered his wheelchair. This trip was made for the announcement of his induction into the referee’s Hall of Fame. The warm reception he received there, from former NBA players, coaches and referees, as well as fans who took a moment to greet him, compensated for what he would miss in Springfield the following weekend.

If you didn’t referee in the same way as some of the older referees, they would severely berate you in the locker room. However, Hubert was more subtle and only focused on the game.

— Joey Crawford, on Hugh Evans

“Delaney said, ‘I believe Hugh was somewhat aware that he was struggling, which is why it was crucial for him to attend the Final Four. He understood that he would be acknowledged there.'”

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

Cathy mentioned, “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 handled referees’ scheduling for many years. He received numerous calls and text messages. Indeed, Doc Rivers, the coach of Philadelphia, texted to say that he and some other coaches had a conversation about Hugh for more than an hour.”

“I’m merely pleased 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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