Joey Crawford Final Season

© Sports Illustrated

NBA referee Joey Crawford to retire after season - Longtime NBA referee Joey Crawford will retire at the conclusion of the 2015–16 season, he told the Delaware County Daily Times late on Friday.

Crawford, 64, is in his 39th season in the league. He received the Golden Whistle Award from the National Association of Sports Officials in 2014, which is considered the highest award among official.

He said he still has a passion for the game, but he wants to leave on ‘on a high note.’

From the Times:

I’m done ... There’s nothing to be sorry about,” Crawford said. “You know what happens? It’s not that you lose your passion. I have that. That’s insanity. But it just comes to the point where you say, ‘I don’t want to make a fool out of myself.’ And it’s been so good that I want to go out on a high note. I don’t want to go out on a low note. I want to be in the NBA Finals, and I don’t want to be reffing just for the sake of reffing.

Crawford, who is recovering from knee surgery, has not worked yet this season, but told the paper he’s aiming to return in March.