Longtime NBA referee Tony Brown, who spent 20 seasons in the league and was one of the most respected officials, passed away on Thursday after courageously battling pancreatic cancer.
He was 55 years old.
The NBA announced the awful news this afternoon.
“Tony Brown was one of the most accomplished referees in the NBA and an inspiration to his colleagues. After his pancreatic cancer diagnosis early last year, Tony fought courageously through countless rounds of treatment to return to work this past season at the NBA Replay Center, demonstrating the dedication, determination and passion that made him such a highly respected official for 20 years," commissioner Adam Silver said.