Top 10 Best NBA Referees Of All Time

October 18, 2021 By Sourav

The NBA has been around for a long time, and there have been many great players, but what about referees? Who are the best NBA Referees of all Time?

No matter who you are, basketball is an undeniable part of your life. But, one thing that makes the game so intriguing is the referees. The refs are there to keep everything fair and make sure everyone follows the rules.

Without them, there would be chaos in every match! So, let’s look at some of the best NBA referees of all time and why they were so good at their job!

Best NBA Referees – All-Time Ranking

10. Earl Strom – Career: 1957-1990
9. Dick Bavetta – Career: 1975-2014
8. Darell Garretson – Career: 1967-1994
7. Dan Crawford – Career: 1984-2017
6. Joey Crawford – Career: 1977-2016
5. Richie Powers – Career: 1956-1979
4. Marvin Mindy Rudolph – Career: 1953-1975
3. Tim Donaghy – Career: 1994-2007
2. Bob Delaney – Career: 1987-2011
1. Ken Mauer – Career: 1986-Present

Don’t Miss

• Best NBA Referees – Infographics
• FAQs Regarding greatest NBA Referees

Basketball is not just one of the most popular sports in the USA, but it is also among the richest sports of all time. And like its players, referees are equally important in this sport. So, here are the greatest NBA referees of all time.

10. Earl Strom – Career: 1957-1990

A professional basketball referee in the National Basketball Association and the American Basketball Association for 29 years, Earl “Yogi” Strom is best known for his time as a referee in the National Basketball Association.

As a referee, Earl started his career with NBA in 1957. After serving for 12 years, he left. And again, from 1973-90, he spends 17 more years with NBA. Moreover, he was also an ABA referee and contributed from that place 1969-72.

His career achievements include 2400 basketball regular-season games, in addition to 29 NBA and ABA finals. In 1995, to appreciate his career, Strom was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In addition, Strom is regarded as one of the most outstanding NBA referees. We have also ranked him 10th in the top ten best NBA referees of all time.

Besides, he was incredible at controlling the games, and this ability illuminated his career more. Strom was well known for his unique, flamboyant style. Moreover, in his officiating career from 1957-90, he also took charge of 7 All-Star Games. Throughout his whole career, he earned about $1.5 million.

9. Dick Bavetta – Career: 1975-2014

Former NBA referee Richard W. Bavetta focuses on the game of basketball. The most games he has officiated in his career are 2,635. After starting in 1975, he has never missed a game. And during his heydays, he was almost a nightmare for all the best NBA teams of all time.

Bavetta started his career with NBA in 1975. And he contributed to this association for 39 years. In 2016, Athletes on Action All-Star Breakfast awarded him with the Jerry Colangelo award. Moreover, Bavetta won the National Pro-Am Lifetime Achievement award in 2002.

To appreciate his lifetime accomplishments, he was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. He struggled a lot to be an NBA referee; he was rejected eight consecutive times. And then, because of his exceptional talent, he made it possible in 1975.

Furthermore, in the league, he made history for officiating the most number games, 2,635. Besides, he is at 9th position among the top ten referees of all time. According to our sources and Wikipedia, this retired NBL referee has a net worth of $350,000.

8. Darell Garretson – Career: 1967-1994

In the National Basketball Association, Darell Lee Garretson refereed basketball games for the National Basketball Association. During his 27-year NBA tenure in 1967-1994, he wore uniform number 10 and later served as NBA Supervisor of Officials for 17 years from 1981 to 1998.

Among the top ten best NBA Referees of all time, Darell is at the 8th spot. Darell started his career with the NBA in 1967, and after serving for 27 years, he retired. Further, after retirement, he was selected as the NBA Supervisor of Officials.

He then contributed as a supervisor for about 17 years more, from 1981 to 1998. Garretson also officiated 269 playoff games in his Basketball career. Moreover, throughout his whole NBA Basketball career, he has 2,000 games.

Likewise, he took charge of the 1,798 regular season NBA games, 39 final games, and five All-Star games. As an official, Garretson was also inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. Besides, after ten years of retirement, he died in 2008.

7. Dan Crawford – Career: 1984-2017

In the National Basketball Association, Danny Crawford served as a referee until his retirement in 2000. He made his 23rd consecutive appearance in the NBA Finals in Game 1 of 2017. Referee Crawford has been in the NBA since 1985, working at least one finals game each season since 1995.

He is a 67 years old referee, started his career with NBA in 1985. He contributed there for ten years. In his NBA duration, he served in each season game of the NBA Finals. And he was the referee of almost all the games that donned the greatest basketball players of all time.

We have ranked him at 7th number in the top ten best NBA Referees of all time. Furthermore, Crawford is graduated from Northwestern Illinois University, and he also played hoops there as a guard. In a LA survey of 2016, Crawford voted the most as the best referee.

In a finals NBA game of 2017, Crawford made his final 23rd contribution in-game. Besides, after playing 31 seasons with NBA, Crawford got his retirement in 2017. Throughout his NBA career, he was also selected to the 1994 and 2001 NBA All-Star games. This retired NBA referee has an estimated net wealth of $10 million.

6. Joey Crawford – Career: 1977-2016

During the NBA’s first half of the 20th century, Joseph Crawford was a basketball referee who worked in the NBA between 1977 and 2016. As an official in the NBA, Crawford wore number 17 and was considered one of the strictest. He also gained a reputation for being a competent assessor of technical fouls committed by his teammates and coaches.

Joey Crawford commenced his NBA career in 1977. He contributed there for 39 years till 2016. In his whole NBA career, he took charge of 2,561 regular-season games. Furthermore, Joey made a record for officiating 374 playoff games in NBA history.

Joey is a 70 years old referee and the only one who worked with 50 NBA Final games. Moreover, Crawford also umpired NBA Star games in 1986, 1992, and 2000. He completed his education at Cardinal O’Hara High School; presently, he lives in Pennsylvania.

Due to some medical issues, Joey got retired in 2017. Besides, according to our sources, Forbes and Wikipedia, he has an estimated net worth of $5 million. Out of the top ten best NBA referees of all time, Joey is placed at 6th position.

5. Richie Powers – Career: 1956-1979

As a basketball referee in the NBA, Richard F. Powers served from 1956 to 1979. Twenty-five of his NBA Finals games, including the tri-overtime Game 5 against the Celtics in the 1976 NBA Finals, were televised, along with three All-Star Games.

As a referee, he started his NBA career in 1956. And he served there until 1979. Powers completed his graduation from St. John’s University. Furthermore, he also contributed to Eastern League as a minor league baseball umpire.

Likewise, in the NBA Finals of 1976, he officiated the triple-overtime game 5. For this game, the competition was held between the Suns and the Celtics. This is considered the most excellent game of Powers ever. Moreover, in his whole NBA career, Powers refereed three All-Star games.

Additionally, he also played 25 NBA Finals Games and also regarded as the Supercaster for WABC-TV. After 23 years of service in the National Baseball Association, Powers took retirement in 1979. Among the top ten best NBA referees of all time, Powers is at 5th number.

4. Marvin Mindy Rudolph – Career: 1953-1975

As an NBA referee, Marvin started his career in 1953. He contributed to NBA for 22 years until 1975. Marvin is one of the few officials elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.

He is considered the first league referee ever to play 2000 NBA games. Furthermore, he refereed for NBA All-Star games eight times in his whole career. In 1955 he officiated a memorable match between Fort Wayne Pistons and Syracuse Nationals.

Then in 1961, Marvin umpired the entire NBA finals between St. Louis Hawks and Boston Celtics. He made history for officiating the whole game. We have ranked him on 3rd spot in the top ten best NBA referees of all time.

Besides, during the 1975-77 NBA seasons, he served as a broadcaster and covered The NBA on CBS. Considering his NBA contributions, Marvin made 22 concurrent appearances in NBA Finals. And in his heydays, he refereed some of the oldest NBA teams ever.

3. Tim Donaghy – Career: 1994-2007

During his career as a referee, Timothy Francis Donaghy refereed basketball matches professionally. His work in the National Basketball Association spanned 13 seasons between 1994 and 2007.

Tim commenced his NBA officiating career as a referee in 1994. He worked in National Baseball Association for 13 straight seasons from 1994 to 2007. Tim is ranked in 3rd position among the top ten best NBA referees of all time.

His contribution to NBA includes his 20 playoff games as well as 772 season games. Furthermore, he was graduated from Villanova University in 1989. He is considered one of the few NBA referees who contributed the Pacers-Pistons bawl.

Tim is a 44 years old referee who earned his wealth mainly from his baseball career. And according to our sources, Wikipedia and Forbes, his current net worth is about $6 million.

2. Bob Delaney – Career: 1987-2011

Delaney is a former state trooper who served undercover in New Jersey and a National Basketball Association referee. He was an NBA official from the 1987-88 NBA season to the 2010-11 NBA season.

After graduation, Delaney started his National Baseball Association career in 1987. He served there for 24 years of his career. In 1998, Delaney was assigned to the NBA All-Star Games, in which he wore uniform no 26. Needless to say, he was behind, making this one of the most popular jersey numbers of all time.

Moreover, throughout his NBA career, Delaney officiated in 1,182 regular-season games. In addition, he officiated 120 playoff games as well as seven NBA Finals games.

After graduation, he served in New Jersey City High School as a referee. He also officiated in Continental Baseball Association for four years. According to our sources, Bob Delaney’s net worth is approximately $1.5 million. He earned his wealth primarily from his baseball career.

1. Ken Mauer – Career: 1986-Present

Mauer Jr. began as an official for the National Basketball Association during the 1986–87 season. Since the beginning of his NBA career, Mauer has officiated 1,717 regular seasons and 229 playoff games. During the 2017-18 NBA season, Mauer wore uniform number 41.

Mauer started his glistening career with NBA in 1986. As one of the top ten best NBA referees of all time, he deserves to be ranked first. In his career as a National Baseball Association referee, he conducted 1,717 regular-season games.

He wears uniform number 41. In addition, he umpired 229 playoff games during his NBA career. Before assigning to the NBA, he contributed to the Continental Baseball Association for nine years. Besides, in 1993 Mauer was elected to officiate the NBA Europe Tour in London.

According to our sources, Mauer has a net wealth of approximately $6 million. He has made such an amount of wealth from his primary career as a basketball referee.

Conclusion

That’s all, folks. We’ve finally reached the end of our countdown. So, who are your favorite NBA referees? Let us know in the comments below! You can even send us an email. We will appreciate your response.

Best NBA Referees - Infographics

FAQs Regarding greatest NBA Referees

Q. Who is the best NBA referee of all time?

The best NBA referee of all time is Richard. The NBA referee Richard W. Bavetta has retired from the NBA after more than 35 years. He never missed an assignment in his career and holds the record for officiating the most games with 2,635. Furthermore, Bavetta is regarded as the multitalented referee of all time.

Q. Who is the longest-tenured NBA referee?

In his 33 seasons as an NBA referee, Ken Mauer has called 1,935 regular-season games. Additionally, he has timed 218 postseason contests, including 19 Finals games. As a result, he is one of the wealthiest referees in the world. Nevertheless, Mauer has been an NBA referee for more than 25 years.

Q. Who is the youngest NBA referee?

JB DeRosa is the NBA�s youngest referee at the moment. He is widely known as the best referee in the world. His first game as a referee was when he was thirteen. In 2017, he was appointed to the NBA at age 26 after working as an NCAA and NBA G League official.

Q. How much money do refs get paid in the NBA?

In terms of annual salary, the most experienced referees can expect to earn about $500,000. There is a wide range of wages for referees in the NBA, ranging from $1,829 to $6,707 per game. Depending on their ranking, players earn an additional $800 to $5,000 per game in the postseason on top of their salary.