NBA veteran referee Tony Brown passes away at 55

Tony Brown paved his way into Clark Atlanta University, working hard when there were no scholarships. He progressed through the basketball refereeing ranks, finally becoming one of the league's top officials. And he continued to work towards helping others even in the last moments of his battle with pancreatic cancer.

Brown received a Stage 4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis in April 2021. Still, he was able to make a full recovery in time to begin working in the NBA replay centre the following season. According to his relatives, he recently started receiving care from an Atlanta hospice.





In addition to officiating in the 2020 NBA Finals, where the Miami Heat played against LA Lakers, Brown was also chosen to officiate two NBA All-Star games. Prior to joining the NBA in 2003, he had also officiated the WNBA All-Star games and some championship rounds in the WNBA and CBA.

Cancer

He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer after feeling some stomach pain that he initially blamed it on bad sushi. With the support of his medical team, his family, and NBA, Brown returned to work after over a dozen rounds of intensive chemotherapy.

Even during his final days, Brown's emphasis wasn't on himself. In the days leading up to his passing, his family and friends worked tirelessly to raise money for a scholarship for Clark Atlanta players.

Brown's family officially acknowledged The Lustgarten Foundation, PanCan, a pancreatic cancer group, the National Basketball Referees Association and the NBA for their support and expressed gratitude for his caretakers.

FAQs:

1. How many games has Brown officiated?
   Through two decades, Brown has officiated over 1,100 matches.
2. How old was he when he died?
   Tony Brown was 55 when he died.