Basketball Hall of Famer Adrian Dantley Is Spending Retirement as a Referee

Adrian Dantley's professional basketball career may be over, but the Hall of Famer isn't done with the game.

Instead of just sitting at home watching television in retirement, the 61-year-old finds himself on the court on a regular basis—as a referee. Dantley has officiated almost every age group, from middle-aged ballers to teenagers to middle schoolers. Basketball is basketball.

Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post recently spent some time taking notes on Dantley's second career.

According to Steinberg, the six-time NBA All-Star averaged six days of refereeing a week this past winter. This comes after he spent 15 years in the league as a player and nearly another decade as an assistant coach with the Denver Nuggets.

Someone who is a basketball lifer like that obviously knows the game—so don't try to draw a call with flops.

"Get stronger," Dantley said while talking about his style of officiating. "Someone bumps up against you and you fall down? I ain't calling it. That's not my makeup."

In other words, get that weak stuff out of here.

"It's funny now: When I watch the games, I'm watching three referees more than I'm watching the players," Dantley said. "I would have never thought that would happen to me."

Some athletes may be content with playing out their career and then chilling in retirement. Not Dantley. He still has plenty to give to the game of basketball.

[Dan Steinberg]