Danny Crawford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Danny Crawford
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Crawford in 2012
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| Born | November 23, 1953 |
| Occupation | NBA Referee |
| Spouse(s) | Claudia |
| Children | 2 including Drew |
Danny Crawford is a famous retired referee from the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was born on November 23, 1953. Danny Crawford worked in an amazing 23 straight NBA Finals. He was an NBA referee from 1985 until he retired in 2017. He worked at least one NBA Finals game every year from 1995 to 2017. Danny Crawford was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in April 2025.
Contents
Danny Crawford: A Top NBA Referee
Early Life and Basketball Days
Danny Crawford grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He lived in the East Garfield Park area on the West Side. He went to Ryerson Elementary School. Later, he became a basketball star at Cregier High School.
In 1976, Crawford graduated from Northeastern Illinois University. He played basketball for the university as a guard. He averaged 18 points per game during his second year. He studied physical education. His dream was to become a gym teacher.
Becoming an NBA Referee
Danny Crawford started officiating basketball games as a side job. He worked for fun in local recreation games and school sports. This helped him earn extra money while he was a student-teacher. In the late 1970s, he began to take officiating more seriously.
He started by refereeing high school games. Then he moved on to junior college games. After that, he officiated Division 1 college basketball games. He worked games in the Missouri Valley Conference. Danny Crawford's first NBA game was during the 1984–85 season.
He was a very respected referee. In 2016, he officiated his third NBA All-Star Game. Also in 2016, NBA players voted on who they thought was the best referee. Danny Crawford received the most votes, showing how much players trusted him. During an NBA game in 2013, he was accidentally bumped by player Carlos Boozer.
Family Life
Danny Crawford has a son named Drew. Drew is also a professional basketball player.
Retirement and Hall of Fame Honor
Danny Crawford retired from being an NBA referee on August 2, 2017. His career was long and successful.
In April 2025, it was announced that Danny Crawford would join the Basketball Hall of Fame. He is part of the Hall of Fame class of 2025. This is a huge honor for his career as a referee.
References
See also
In Spanish: Dan Crawford para niños
