Veteran NBA referee Dick Bavetta retiring after 39 seasons
The National Basketball Association lost one of it’s most familiar faces today when veteran referee Dick Bavetta announced his retirement after nearly four decades of work in the NBA.
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Bavetta is a legend amongst NBA athletes as he has spanned multiple generations refereeing the world’s greatest basketball players at the highest level.
Bavetta, who is 74, actually was rejected for nine consecutive years by the NBA during referee tryouts due to his stature. In 1975, Bavetta’s persistence paid off as he was finally hired by the NBA. Eleven years later Bavetta was scheduled to ref his first NBA playoff game.
NBA announces referee Dick Bavetta is retiring after 39 seasons and 2635 consecutive games worked, a record. Also worked 270 playoffs games
— Jerry Zgoda (@JerryZgoda) August 19, 2014
Bavetta has witnessed the greatness of Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Kevin McHale, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Scottie Pippen, Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki, and many more in his legendary 39 year career.
Bavetta refereed the NBA Finals, the biggest rivalries, and the most iconic moments in the sport’s history. Without Bavetta, the league and referees nowadays may have never come to fruition like it has.
Bavetta’s longevity is astounding considering that he never missed a game he was scheduled to ref in during his entire career. Never once did Bavetta cite sickness or other ailments in order to miss a game.
If there is a place in the Hall of Fame for NBA referees, you can bet that Dick Bavetta will be there when it is all said and done.