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

Hugh Evans always believed that his role was to be respected, not necessarily liked. However, as he excelled in earning respect over time, he inevitably started feeling quite liked 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 distance from the participants to eliminate any chance or even a hint of his integrity being compromised by a friendship. Despite his efforts, he ended up with numerous work friends.

“Even amidst coaches and familiar faces, Hugh Evans would stride to the center of the floor, radiating an aura of being there to work and not seeking to be the focus of attention,” said Bob Delaney, ex-NBA official, about Evans.

Longtime referee, Joey Crawford, stated, “Players and coaches really developed a fondness for him due to his commendable demeanor. In contrast to myself, his character was completely different, which I suppose is why they liked him.”

“…His integrity, understanding of the game, and professionalism as a referee were unparalleled. He was always prepared and ready to do his job extraordinarily well. His preparation was impressive. I was certain that whenever he set foot on the court, he would give 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 officially be honored on Saturday night, with Reggie Miller and George Gervin presenting. It’s fair to say that their relationships with him grew stronger after his retirement, rather than during his active career from 1973-2001.

“Evans preferred to keep things strictly professional,” his widow, Cathy, shared with NBA.com last week. “However, he did maintain 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 wasn’t familiar with him as a player. However, in his role as a referee, his integrity, game knowledge, and professionalism were all first-rate. He was consistently prepared to perform his duties. His preparation was outstanding. I was confident that whenever he took to the floor, he would give his best.”

Discussing the highest-ranking officials in the NBA, he ranks among the best. He was a straightforward person. However, we were confident that he would ensure a fair game and make calls based on his observation. Knowing him was a delightful experience.

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A unique NBA officiating journey

Evans also earns the honor of being the first African-American referee in the Hall’s group of 17, a fact that fills his family and friends with pride. Delaney, who put forward his nomination, shared, “In 1985, I had the pleasure of meeting Hugh Evans for the first time. Often, I would hear people refer to him as ‘the best Black NBA referee.’ I never understood why the term ‘Black’ was necessary – he is indisputably one of the greatest NBA referees in history, 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 span of 28 NBA seasons. However, his journey to the league was just as impressive as his accomplishments within it. Evans skipped working high school or college games, making a direct leap to the professional level.

Evans, a robust man standing at 6-foot-4, chose to pursue baseball after his time at North Carolina A&T, playing for 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 community center in Brooklyn. It was here that he refereed some recreational league games before deciding to take his whistle to the renowned Rucker League. This is where numerous legendary basketball players kept fit during summer on the city’s asphalt courts.

He spent $100 to register for an officials’ camp. A few weeks later, despite failing his initial exam, he passed. He also managed to attract the attention of a camp instructor.

Years later, Evans remembered him saying, “You already have what it takes to make it in the pros, college games would just be a waste of your time.”

In 1972, at the age of 31, Evans was signed to a part-time contract and was promoted to a full-time position the subsequent year. Despite the challenges, his reputation from his work at Rucker Park in Harlem was already recognized by notable stars like Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Walt Frazier, among others, which he said was beneficial.

Evans, as one of the earliest Black referees in the NBA, followed only by Ken Hudson (1968-72) and a handful of others, experienced a type of heckling that was uncommon among his peers.

“Cathy Evans reminded, “Don’t forget, those were the ’70s and ’80s. I remember attending a game in Houston where a fan just wouldn’t stop. Hugh was not the type to engage in a back-and-forth with a fan. He would simply summon security.”

I recall thinking, ‘This fellow is about to get kicked out and he’s completely oblivious.’ I had watched as Hugh approached the table, followed by the table guy heading to security. Before I knew it, they were escorting the kid out.

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

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Evans ‘only cared about the game’

In contrast to the way he distanced himself from players and coaches, Evans was the complete opposite with his colleagues. He willingly became a resource and a mentor, always ready to impart the knowledge he gained about the game on the fly.

“His demeanor was incredibly reassuring to a younger referee,” said Delaney. “When you enter an arena and you’re unknown, you want to demonstrate your worth. He provided that kind of strength.”

He possessed strong leadership skills, but he wasn’t the type to constantly tell people what to do. Instead, he led by example and encouraged others in a highly effective and instructive manner.

Crawford further added, “There were some older individuals who were control freaks, making learning difficult. However, Hugh was completely different. He would simply say, ‘Do it.’ If something occurred on the floor, he didn’t have any issue with you approaching the scorers’ table to manage the clock or converse with the coaches.”

Back in the day, there was no Las Vegas [Summer League] or other similar venues where one could learn the ropes of being a referee. Instead, you had to learn while you were on the job. Some of the veteran referees would severely criticize you in the locker room if you didn’t officiate in the same way they did. However, Hubert was different- he had a subtle approach and his only concern was the game.

“Duke, also known as Mike Callahan, who is my best friend, used to always say, ‘I prefer working with Hugh more than you’ when he first started.”

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

“Cathy Evans remarked, “He often chose to skip dinner during our travels, as he wanted the young referees to observe certain games. He would declare, ‘I’m heading to so-and-so’s room to analyze this tape.'”

“Even after he retired, the guys still reached out to him. Their message would often be, ‘I’m covering an ESPN game tonight. If you have some spare time, could you watch the game and send me your observations?'”

For a significant portion of his career, Evans resided in Richmond, Va., before relocating to Florida and subsequently to Atlanta. He was a skilled golfer and often played with the likes of Sam Jones, a Boston Celtics Hall of Famer who passed away the previous December, and Luis Grillo, a former NBA referee.

In April, Evans, who was in poor health, along with his wife Cathy and Delaney (who powered Evans’ wheelchair), traveled to the men’s NCAA Final Four in New Orleans where his induction into the referee’s Hall of Fame was announced. Despite his health, the warm reception he received that weekend, consisting of congratulations from former NBA players, coaches, and referees, and even greetings from fans, compensated for what he was set to miss the following weekend in Springfield.

If you didn’t referee in a way that some older referees approved of, they would intensely criticize you in the locker room. Hubert, however, was subtle and focused solely on the game.

— Joey Crawford, on Hugh Evans

“Delaney said, ‘I believe Hugh somewhat realized he was failing, and that’s why it was crucial for him to attend the Final Four event. He knew he would receive recognition there.'”

Nobody truly desires to receive an award or recognition after they have passed away. Luckily for Evans, he felt the warmth of appreciation at the Superdome and in the three months that followed before his demise. This showed him, his wife Cathy, and his sons Aaron and Todd, the extent of the basketball world’s joy for him.

Cathy said, “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 the scheduling of referees for many years. He was bombarded with numerous calls and text messages. In fact, Doc Rivers, the coach of Philadelphia, texted him. Rivers was with some other coaches, and they spent over an hour discussing Hugh.”

“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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