Former NBA referee Hugh Evans, a member of the 2022 class of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, died Friday morning
He was an NBA referee from 1973 to 2001 who officiated 1,969 regular-season games.
Evans also refereed 170 playoff games, 35 NBA Finals contests and four NBA All-Star Games.
He was ranked as the second-best official in the league by coaches, general managers and the NBA senior vice presidents during the 1995-96 season.
Evans said: "I still haven't put into perspective what it means. I am still processing it. Every time I hear it, you get chills, I get tears, I get happy, and I just know that I am special. I was chosen to be special by God."