NBA referees have a great deal of responsibility for ensuring a fair and impartial game. Tony Brown was arguably one of the best officials who accepted and fulfilled his role. Unfortunately, on October 20th, the 55-year-old NBA veteran official passed away due to cancer. The NBA and wider sports world, including superstars such as LeBron James and Trae Young, expressed their condolences.

Tony Brown was so committed to his profession that he recovered and returned to the game he loved despite being diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in April 2021. His services to the NBA were dispersed throughout 20 long NBA seasons. Brown appeared in 1,110 regular-season games and 35 playoff games across two decades.

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NBA Commissioner Adam Silver paid his condolences and said, “Tony Brown was one of the most accomplished referees in the NBA and an inspiration to his colleagues.” 

LeBron James and other stars pay their respects to Tony Brown

Tony Brown reportedly spent his last moments with his family, colleagues, and friends on Thursday, the 20th of October. Chris Hynes was among the first to tweet about Brown’s death. Messages of condolences and respect poured in from across the NBA community. And Los Angeles Lakers great LeBron James shared his feelings on Twitter.

King James tweeted, “R.I.P. Tony man!! Great ref but greater dude! Loved when I ran on the court for warmups and he would be on the game that night! Your smile & laugh will be missed tremendously here in our sport!” Even Trae Young, Jayson Tatum, and other superstars came forward with their condolences.

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The Los Angeles Lakers also held a moment of silence for Brown before their game against the Los Angeles Clippers.

During the game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Milwaukee Bucks, the officials were seen wearing a wristband that said, “6 Strong” to honor Brown’s referee number. It was a heartfelt moment for fans to witness in memory of Brown.

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What are your favorite memories involving Tony Brown? Let us know in the comments below.