Darell Lee Garretson was an American professional basketball referee in the National Basketball Association for 27 years from 1967 to 1994 wearing uniform number 10, and he later served as NBA Supervisor of Officials for 17 years from 1981 to 1998.
13 Facts About Darell Garretson
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Darell Garretson officiated recreational, high school, and college basketball games, while working as a salesman, before being hired by the NBA.
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Ron Darell Garretson became a basketball official, and was a referee in the NBA until 2019.
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Darell Garretson died in his sleep on April 24,2008, at his home in Mesa, Arizona, at age 76.
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The cause of death is an unknown at this time, but it was reported that Darell Garretson's health had been in decline following recent surgery and effects of illnesses.
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Darell Garretson was a man of extraordinary character, who touched many lives during his 31-year tenure as an NBA official and supervisor of officials.
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Darell Garretson discovered and developed so many of our current referees.
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Darell Garretson took them and he coached them, tirelessly, and he made them some of the most elite referees in the world.
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In 2000, Darell Garretson pleaded guilty to fraud in an airline-ticket scheme involving purchasing less expensive tickets and pocketing the difference without reporting the additional income to the Internal Revenue Service.
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Darell Garretson was sentenced to 180 days' home detention, three years of probation, and a US$5,000 fine.
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Darell Garretson developed the concept of "refereeing the defense", a practice in which officials focus attention on a defensive player instead of watching the ball.
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Darell Garretson urged all officials to continue improving skills and achieving personal goals by focusing on every possible aspect.
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Critics of Darell Garretson claimed that he developed the current generation of referees into "robots" by suppressing individual personality.