Danny Crawford Retires After 31 Seasons as NBA Official

Longtime referee Danny Crawford retired Wednesday following a 31-year NBA career.

The National Basketball Referees Association confirmed the news and noted Crawford officiated over 2,300 NBA games, highlighted by more than 300 playoff contests and 23 straight years working at least one NBA Finals game.

The 63-year-old Chicago native also worked in the Continental Basketball Association and the college ranks, including Division I, before his three-decade run with the NBA.

In January 2016, Crawford received the most votes as the league's best referee when Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times conducted an anonymous survey among players and coaches.

"He's been in the league for a long time, and a lot of guys respect him," an NBA player said. "You won't get cheated by him. Now does he make mistakes? Yes. I like it where he'll tell a star to shut up. At the same time, he knows there is a pecking order and he gives certain players more respect than others. A lot of the new refs are terrible and the old refs won't speak to you. But Danny gives you a happy medium."

One month later he received his third opportunity to referee the NBA All-Star Game. He told K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune it was always an honor to get that call, even though many players and officials don't mind some time off at that point in the campaign.

"Everybody's dying to get to the All-Star break for rest. But you also have your fingers crossed saying, 'Maybe I'll get picked for the All-Star Game,'" Crawford said. "When you get the call to actually work the game, you find that second wind. You say, 'Let me turn this energy up.' Because it's a fun game."

His long tenure and the respect he garnered from players and coaches alike should eventually earn him a place in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. There are only 16 officials enshrined in the Springfield, Massachusetts, facility, including Earl Strom and Dick Bavetta.