Tony Brown, NBA referee, will miss the remainder of the 2020-21 season

The 19-year veteran is on leave while undergoing surgery for pancreatic cancer.

After being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last month, NBA referee Tony Brown will not officiate the remainder of the regular season or the 2021 NBA Playoffs.

Monty McCutchen, NBA Senior Vice President of Referee Development and Training, made the announcement where he said, “Tony is a beloved member of the NBA family, and in particular, our officiating family. In addition to exemplifying what it means to be a world-class referee on the court, Tony also touches so many lives off the court.  The NBA officiating family and the entire NBA family stand behind Tony with thoughts and prayers as he embarks upon this courageous battle.”

Brown, who has officiated 1,109 regular-season games and 35 playoff games in his 19 seasons as an NBA official, including his first finals appearance in 2020, has been seeking therapy after learning of the condition.

Tony and his entire family would like to thank everyone for their well-wishes, condolences, kindness, and affection in recent days.

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