Top 5 NBA refs of all time?
 

Here's my list in alphabetical order:

Dick Bavetta
Joey Crawford
Jake O'Donnell
Mendy Rudolph
Earl Strom (my personal all-time favorite)

I know that Mendy and Earl admired and gave credit for mentoring them to Sid Borgia, but I don't remember watching him. According to them, he was the best of all time.

Of course there are a lot more who would be on my list if it were bigger, like Jim Capers and Tommy Nunez.

Sid's son is now the director of NBA officiating development. Just a quick little tidbit I thought I would throw in there.

Is Joey Crawford on you list ahead of Danny Crawford because of his personality?

Danny would certainly be on my expanded list along with Jess Kersey. However, you're not going to see Bernie Fryer or either of the Garretsons on my list.

When the roll of great NBA officials is read, Manny Sokol is always right there. Listening.

Not one of the "great" ones, really. Or even one of the "very good ones". Or.....:D I loved to watch him though. I'd pay just to watch him officiate; he was <b>that</b> entertaining. Every foul call was a Shakespearian tragedy. Every violation was re-enacted to his fullest ability. And he looked like he shoulda been on <b>The Sopranos</b> too.

Manny has been gone from the NBA for probably 25 years now, but he lives on in the heart of one fan.

It's true, it's true....

It must be his warm up routine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rePUr5CSWPw

Steve Javie
Earl Strom
Joey Crawford
Bob Delaney
Dick Bavetta (the earlier years) not lately, :D

You mean "Knick" Bavetta, as the other teams in the league call him. :D

Really?
 

You are kidding, right? You got me!

Not at all, I love #29!

CLH

I'd take Richie Powers, Ed Rush, Jack Madden, and Hugh Evans over O'Donnell.

Bavetta is 67 years old, has worked almost 2200 games, and always wears 5 pairs of socks. Those are some numbers! :)

Once Dick retires, Joe Crawford will pass in in number of games.

Ed Rush
 

My dad back in the day, siad he saw Ed Rush do a game by himself! For what ever reason the other guy wasn't there. Pacer game in Indy and was one of ther best officiated games he has ever saw.

I am a young 35 years old so I don't know all the older officials from the 1960-1980.

Danny Crawford (Always seem very calm under pressure)
Joey Crawford
Dick Bavetta
Steve Javie
Ronnie Garretson

I don't watch enough NBA to comment on who the best officials are, but I did start looking at the National Basketball Referee Association website and I came across this little tidbit.

I just assumed that Bavetta was the oldest NBA referee, but he's not!!! I was already impressed by Bavetta at 67 but Jack Nies turns 70 this year. I can't imagine reffing those games and doing all that travel at 70 years old. I get plenty tired driving 10 miles round trip and doing three games on a Saturday at 28 years old.

[QUOTE=biz]I don't watch enough NBA to comment on who the best officials are, but I did start looking at the National Basketball Referee Association website and I came across this little tidbit.

I just assumed that Bavetta was the oldest NBA referee, but he's not!!! I was already impressed by Bavetta at 67 but Jack Nies turns 70 this year. I can't imagine reffing those games and doing all that travel at 70 years old. I get plenty tired driving 10 miles round trip and doing

Jack Nies should have been retired years ago. He may be IMO the worst NBA referee out there!!!