Norm Drucker

Who is Norm Drucker?

Norm Drucker was a major influence in professional basketball officiating for over 35 years. His NBA and ABA officiating career as both a referee and Supervisor of Officials spanned the careers of all-time pro basketball greats, from George Mikan, Bob Cousy, Dolph Schayes and Bob Pettit in the 1950's, to Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and Bill Russell in the 1960's, to Julius Erving, Rick Barry, Bill Bradley and Walt Frazier in the 1970's and to Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in the 1980's.

He was hired as a referee by the National Basketball Association in 1953. By the early 60's he was regularly officiating two to four games in the NBA Finals each season. In 1969, when the two-year old American Basketball Association was raiding the NBA for talent, he took the risk, along with three other NBA "lead" referees — Joe Gushue, Earl Strom and John Vanak — and jumped to the financially uncertain ABA. Their contracts were the first multi-year officiating contracts in pro basketball history. Such was Drucker's stature and reputation, that his salary, as a referee and Supervisor of Officials, along with a $25,000 signing bonus, made him at that time, the highest paid referee in the history of basketball. Within a year, all other pro basketball officials benefited, as their salaries more than doubled. As a result, officiating professional basketball evolved from a part-time 'second job' to a full time career, with greatly improved working conditions, benefits and pension plans. It was the first time in history that a league had promoted the quality of its officials which improved the ABA's credibility, and as a by-product enhanced the public's interest in, and respect for referees.