It might be difficult to discuss the best NBA referees of all time, mainly because we do not know much about them, considering many of us are more concerned about the NBA lines to bet. Not knowing an official’s name or face might indicate he’s doing a good job. Some of the referees in this list have officiated games for decades and have had careers far longer than players.
These referees face many challenges and hate. While their remuneration is relatively reasonable, it does not compensate for the daily hostility and scrutiny they have endured in their career. So let’s examine the best five NBA referees of all time.
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- Ken Mauer
During the 1986-87 season, Mauer started as an official for the National Basketball Association. Since the start of his NBA tenure, Mauer has officiated 1,717 regular season games and 229 playoff games. Mauer began his brilliant career in the NBA in 1986.
He undoubtedly deserves his position as one of the top five best NBA referees of all time in our books. During the 2017-2018 NBA season, he wore uniform number 41. Additionally, he officiated 229 postseason games throughout his NBA tenure. Before joining the NBA, he spent nine years with the Continental Baseball Association. In addition, Mauer was chosen to officiate the NBA Europe Tour in London in 1993.
- Tim Donaghy
Timothy officiated professional basketball games throughout his refereeing career, which covered 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association between 1994 and 2007.
Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy weighs in on the officiating of last night’s Chiefs-Raiders game pic.twitter.com/1XZ3wS5D00
— Ballsack Sports ® (@BallsackSports) October 11, 2022
Due to his service to the NBA, which includes 20 playoff games and 772 regular season games, he is placed second among the top five best referees on this list. In addition, he graduated in 1989 from Villanova University. He is regarded as one of the few NBA officials to have contributed to the Pacers-Pistons brawl.
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- Mendy Rudolph
Mendy Rudolph served as a referee in the NBA for 22 years, from 1953 to 1975. Until his retirement, he maintained the record of having officiated 2,112 games. He was the first official to reach 2,000 games at the time. Additionally, Rudolph officiated eight NBA All-Star games and 22 straight NBA Finals.
Bill Russell talking to NBA referee Mendy Rudolph during game at Boston Garden 1966.
(Walter Iooss Jr. /SI) @RealBillRussell @celtics @NBA pic.twitter.com/hs2n8kIRp8— Old School Boston (@OldSchoolBoston) October 30, 2019
In 1961, he created NBA history by officiating all of the games in the 1961 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the St. Louis Hawks. Mendy Rudolph was appointed referee-in-chief in 1966 and worked with Dolph Schayes, who was appointed as the supervisor of officials for the league. As the chief of officials, he controlled the referee’s mechanics, techniques, and rule interpretations. Mendy Rudolph is one of the few referees inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
- Joey Crawford
Joey Crawford’s 39-year NBA career was marred by scandal, and he retired in 2016. However, he has developed a reputation for evaluating technical fouls and ejections for both players and coaches.
There was a period when he was a fantastic referee, even though younger fans may not remember him fondly from his later years in the league. However, he was often criticized for being too strict and for giving technical fouls and kicking out players and coaches, even though his calls and non-calls were mostly correct.
Even more damning to his case is that he was suspended because he expelled Tim Duncan, of all people, for laughing on the bench. Except for 2007, when he served a suspension, Crawford officiated for 39 years and was a member of the crew for every NBA Finals from 1986 to 2015. Towards the end of his career, Crawford was not particularly well-liked by fans.
- Earl Strom
In the history of athletics, there has not been a lot of figures like Earl Strom. Strom is considered one of the best NBA referees of all time. However, he was also very controversial. When other referees or even spectators didn’t agree with his calls, he never hesitated to become physical with them.
His professional accomplishments include 2400 basketball regular-season games and 29 NBA and ABA championships. The storm was elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to honor his accomplishments in 1995.
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