The Worst NBA Referees of All Time

A list of the worst NBA Referees of all time. These are the guys that you love to hate.

Introduction

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a men’s Professional Basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). It is widely considered to be the premier men’s professional Basketball League in the world.

The NBA referee is responsible for enforcing the rules and maintaining order during the game. They are also responsible for making sure that the players are safe and that the game is fair.

However, not all NBA Referees are created equal. Some are better than others, and some are just plain bad. In this article, we will take a look at the Worst NBA referees of all time.

The worst NBA Referees of All Time

There are a lot of things that can make an NBA referee bad at his or her job. Maybe they have a bad attitude, maybe they’re inconsistent, or maybe they just make a lot of bad calls

Whatever the reason, there are certainly some referees who are better than others. And just like anything else, there are always going to be some that are considered the worst of the worst.

So who are the Worst NBA referees of all time? Here’s a look at 10 of the most hated officials in league history.

The Most Controversial NBA referees of All Time

There is no perfect way to officiate an NBA game The physicality and speed of the athletes, as well as the complex rules of the sport, make it impossible to please everyone all the time. However, there are some referees who seem to be more controversial than others. Here is a list of the most controversial NBA referees of all time.

1. Joey Crawford
Joey Crawford has been an NBA referee since 1977, and in that time, he has developed a reputation for being both quick to blow his whistle and quick to lose his temper. Crawford has been involved in a number of on-court altercations with players and coaches and he was even suspended for one game in 2007 after he ejected Tim Duncan from a game for laughing during a free throw attempt.

2. Bob Delaney
Bob Delaney was an NBA referee from 1987 to 2003, and during his time on the court, he developed a reputation for making some very controversial calls. In fact, Delaney was once suspended by the NBA for two games after it was revealed that he had made a number of calls that were favorable to one team in particular.

3. Bennett Salvatore
Bennett Salvatore began officiating NBA games in 1984, and during his long career, he has been involved in a number of controversies. One of the most notable incidents occurred in 2006 when Salvatore ejection Shaquille O’Neal from a game after O’Neal made contact with him while arguing a call.

The Most Hated NBA Referees of All Time

There are a lot of things that can make an NBA referee bad at their job. Maybe they have too much of an ego and think that they’re the show, or maybe they’re just incompetent. Whatever the reason, there are certain officials that have become the most hated NBA referees of all time. Here are a few of them.

Joey Crawford is one referee who has earned a reputation for being bad at his job. He’s been involved in a number of controversies, including one incident where he ejected Tim Duncan from a game for laughing on the bench. He’s also been known to make bad calls late in games that have decided the outcome.

Another referee who has become infamous for his bad officiating is Bennett Salvatore. He was involved in a game between the Charlotte Hornets and the New York Knicks in 1995, where he made two controversial calls late in the game that cost the Hornets the win. He also has a history of making incorrect calls in Playoff Games

Donaghy, Tim is probably the most infamous NBA referee of all time. He was caught betting on games that he officiated and even went to prison for it. He also admitted to making calls that would benefit the team that he bet on. Needless to say, he’s no longer an NBA Referee and his career is forever tarnished.

The Most Respected NBA referees of All Time

While some may think that any NBA referee can make it to the top of their game, the reality is that only the best of the best are able to achieve true greatness. These are the men and women who have not only mastered the art of officiating, but have also gained the respect of players, coaches, and fans alike.

So, who are the most respected NBA referees of all time? Here are five men and women who have made an indelible mark on the league:

1. Joey Crawford: A 31-year veteran of the NBA, Joey Crawford is widely considered to be one of the best referees in league history. Not only is he known for his excellent on-court officiating, but also for his impeccable sense of humor and ability to diffuse tense situations.

2. Dick Bavetta: A 26-year veteran of the NBA, Dick Bavetta is one of only two referees in league history to have officiated over 2,500 regular season games. He’s also one of only four officials to have worked in three decades (the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s), and he holds the record for most playoff games officiated with 259.

3. Violet Palmer: A 10-year veteran of the WNBA, Violet Palmer was also one of the first two female officials in NBA history She rose through the ranks quickly, officiating her first Playoff Game in just her second season and becoming a full-time official in her fourth year.

4. Bennett Salvatore: A 28-year veteran of the NBA, Bennett Salvatore has officiated over 1,700 regular season games and more than 200 playoff games. He’s known for his calm demeanor and even temperament, which has earned him respect from players and coaches alike.

5. Ron Garretson: A 27-year veteran of the NBA, Ron Garretson has officiated over 1,900 Regular Season games and more than 225 playoff games. He’s considered one of the best at his craft, and he’s widely respected for his knowledge of basketball rules and regulations.

The Most Influential NBA Referees of All Time

In the history of the NBA, there have been many great referees. But there have also been some truly terrible ones. Here are four of the worst NBA referees of all time.

1. Dick Bavetta

Dick Bavetta is a retired NBA referee who officiated for an incredible 39 seasons. He is also one of the most controversial refs in history, with a long list of scandals and controversies attached to his name. Among other things, Bavetta has been accused of making calls that favored teams from New York (where he lived), of having favors called in for him by players and coaches, and of being generally incompetent. In 2006, former Nba Coach Don Nelson even called Bavetta “the worst referee in the history of the game.” Ouch.

2. Joey Crawford

Like Dick Bavetta, Joey Crawford is a controversial figure who has been accused of bias and incompetence over the course of his career. In 2007, Crawford was suspended by the NBA for one year after he was caught on tape making threatening comments towards then-Dallas Mavericks player Tim Thomas In 2012, he was again suspended, this time for two games, after he ejected then-Los Angeles Clippers player Blake Griffin from a game for laughing on the bench. Griffin was later quoted as saying that Crawford “has a personal vendetta against [me].” Yikes.

3. Bennett Salvatore

Bennett Salvatore is yet another referee with a long list of controversies attached to his name. In 2006, he was involved in a major scandal when it was revealed that he had made a deal with then-New Jersey Nets coach Byron Scott to give Scott’s team an extra possession in a crucial playoff game Salvatore was later suspended for two games without pay as a result of the incident. He has also been accused of making several bad calls in critical moments throughout his career, including a crucial call in Game 7 of the 2000 Western Conference Finals that cost the Portland Trail Blazers a trip to the NBA Finals Oof.

4. Tim Donaghy

Last but not least, we have Tim Donaghy perhaps the most infamous referee in NBA history In 2007, it was revealed that Donaghy had bet on NBA Games while working as a referee, and had even gone so far as to fix games to ensure that his bets would win. He pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the scandal and spent 15 months in prison as a result. His actions not only caused him to lose his job and be banned from the NBA for life, but also seriously tarnished the reputation of referees around the league (and likely cost some fans their faith in the integrity of the games).

The Most Memorable NBA Referees of All Time

When it comes to officiating a basketball game there is often no such thing as a “right” call. With so much happening on the court at any given time, it’s impossible for referees to catch everything. And even when they do catch something, they have to make a split-second decision that can often be interpreted in different ways.

This is why NBA referees are often the subject of intense scrutiny. Every call they make is dissected and analyzed, and if they make too many wrong calls, they can quickly become the most hated man in the arena.

So which NBA referees are the worst of all time? Here are five of the most memorable:

1. Joey Crawford
Joey Crawford is one of the most controversial referees in NBA history He’s been involved in a number of high-profile incidents, including ejecting Tim Duncan from a game for laughing on the bench andsuspending Carmelo Anthony for yelling at him. He’s also been accused of making calls that favor certain teams or players, and he once even threatened to fight a player who disagreed with one of his calls.

2. Dick Bavetta
Dick Bavetta is another referee who has been accused of making calls that benefit certain teams or players. He’s also been involved in a number of controversies, including ejecting Shaquille O’Neal from a game for laughing and calling too many fouls on Patrick Ewing in a game against the Chicago Bulls

3. Ed Malloy
Ed Malloy is one of the most respected referees in the NBA, but he’s also been involved in his share of controversies. He was once accused of favoritism towards Kobe Bryant and he was also involved in an incident where he called two technical fouls on Rasheed Wallace for arguing with him about a call. He later admitted that he made a mistake with the second Technical foul and rescinded it.

4. Bennett Salvatore
Bennett Salvatore is another referee who has been accused of making calls that favor certain players or teams. He was once suspended for making an obscene gesture towards some fans, and he’s also been known to get into arguments with players and coaches on occasion. He was even once ejected from a game after throwing a ball at Indiana Pacers coach Isiah Thomas While he didn’t necessarily make any bad calls during that particular game, his actions were still considered to be unprofessional by many people . . . → Continue reading

The Most Unforgettable NBA Referees of All Time

Although there are many great NBA referees, there are also some that fans will never forget—for all the wrong reasons. Here are some of the most unforgettable NBA referees of all time.

Dick Bavetta: Dick Bavetta is one of the most respected NBA referees of all time. He officiated 2,633 consecutive games between 1975 and 2014, and is one of only four referees to have officiated more than 2,000 games. However, he also has a reputation for making some controversial calls, including a 2002 game in which he called an offensive foul on Shaquille O’Neal when it appeared that O’Neal had been fouled by Kobe Bryant

Joe Crawford: Joe Crawford has officiated more than 2,000 NBA games and has been named one of the best referees by his peers. However, he also has a reputation for being quick to anger and for making poor calls. In 2007, he was suspended for one game after throwing a ball at then-Detroit Pistons player Rasheed Wallace and calling him a “motherf*cker.” In 2008, he was involved in another blow-up with Wallace, this time ejecting him from a game after Wallace argued with him over a call.

The Greatest NBA Referees of All Time

When you think of the greatest NBA referees of all time, a few names come to mind. Dick Bavetta, Joey Crawford, and Bob Delaney are some of the best to ever step on the hardwood. These guys have officiated some of the biggest games in NBA history and they have done so with class and dignity.

The worst NBA Referees of All Time – Conclusion

After much discussion, we have come to the conclusion that the worst NBA referee of all time is none other than Tim Donaghy.

Donaghy was a professional NBA referee from 1994 to 2007. During his time as an official, he was involved in a gambling scandal that rocked the league and led to his eventual imprisonment.

In 2007, it was revealed that Donaghy had been gambling on games that he officiated, and betting against teams that he thought were going to lose. He also provided inside information to gamblers about which players were in foul trouble, and which referees were more likely to call fouls.

This scandal led to Donaghy being banned from the NBA for life, and he served 15 months in prison for his part in it.

While there have been other bad referees in the NBA, none have caused as much damage to the integrity of the league as Tim Donaghy did. He is without question the worst referee in NBA history