NBA Official Bob Delaney Named a Basketball Hall of Fame Trustee

SPRINGFIELD — The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced that Bob Delaney, veteran NBA official and current vice president of the league’s referee operations, has been elected to the Hall’s board of trustees. One of 30 current trustees, he is the first referee to serve on the board.

“The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame honors the game, and being the first referee to be a board of trustee member is humbling,” said Delaney. “The opportunity to represent the officiating community is a great honor. I embrace this responsibility with dedication, commitment, and enthusiasm to my fellow board members and the Hall of Fame.”

Delaney spent 14 years in law enforcement prior to his officiating career. His work with post-traumatic stress, providing education and awareness for military, law enforcement, firefighters, first responders, and their families has gained international recognition. In 2011, Delaney was recruited by NBA Commissioner David Stern to serve as an NBA Cares ambassador, and in 2014 the Hall of Fame named Delaney a recipient of the Mannie Jackson Basketball’s Human Spirit Award.

“Bob Delaney is one of the most well-respected referees the game has ever seen,” said John Doleva, president and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “This is because of the tremendous man he has proven to be both on and off the court. He represents the game with the utmost integrity, and we are very pleased to have him joining our board of trustees.”

The board of trustees serves as the group responsible for preserving the fundamental mission and financial well-being of the Basketball Hall of Fame. Trustees serve as ambassadors for the Hall, promoting its core mission, which is to celebrate the greatest moments and people in basketball. Made up of individuals that work in or have worked in the game, as well as business leaders that have supported the game, the board also elects all governors of the Hall.