NBA Referee Greg Willard Dead at 54

NBA referee Greg Willard has died nearly 10 months after first being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Greg Willard passed away April 1, 2013.

An official since 1988 who wore the uniform number 57, Willard officiated 1,515 regular season and 134 playoff games, including three NBA Finals after stints with the Continental Basketball Association and college basketball's PCAA (now Big West) and Pac-10 (now Pac-12) conferences. Willard also was affiliated with the Orange County Football Officials Association and attended both Orange Coast College and Long Beach State.

Willard officiated his final NBA contest in October, a pre-season affair between the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers, played in Anaheim, close to Willard's home town of Huntington Beach. He received the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network's Spirit of Hope Award later that month.

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States with a poor prognosis. Exocrine pancreatic cancer is associated with a one-year survival rate of just 25%, decreasing to 6% after five years. The median survival is about 10 months.

In honor of PCAN and Willard, NBA regional rights-holders such as FOX Sports have raised awareness and funds throughout the season for cancer research; NBA officials have worn purple awareness bracelets throughout the 2012-13 NBA season.

A Southern California native and a married father of three, Willard was 54 years old.

Cheers to a Cure: PCAN/Greg Willard Benefit Event on 3/24

Edison High School (Huntington Beach, California) seniors Karly Freeman and Kailea Nuzzo have created a fundraiser with the goal of raising money for pancreatic research. Their friend and neighbor, NBA referee Greg Willard, has been named as honorary beneficiary for the March 24, '13 fundraiser Cheers to a Cure, with proceeds benefitting the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PCAN).

The Cheers to a Cure website describes the event as "a night of wine and hors d'oeuvres as we come together to support a great cause," featuring a silent auction and opportunity drawings. Items include a week's stay in Bali Indonesia, surfboards, golf clubs and, of course, basketball tickets.

In lieu of attending the event, donations are being accepted under the designation "CIBACS Foundation."

Cheers to a Cure Benefitting PCAN takes place at the Huntington Beach Art Center, 3/24/13, 4-7pm.

Greg Willard Officiates Pre-Season Game, to Take Leave

NBA referee Greg Willard, diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in June, worked Tuesday's Jazz-Lakers exhibition contest in Anaheim in what appears to have been Willard's last game of 2012.

Greg Willard (left) officiates a play between Bryant & Utah's
Kevin Murphy, 10/16/12 (AP/Jae Hong).

After the contest, Lakers guard Kobe Bryant visited the referees' locker room, later saying of Willard:

"He's an extremely good ref...Honestly, tonight I wanted him to T me up for old time's sake. I didn't want him to have any kind of special night. I wanted it to be just like it's always been. I wanted to drop a couple F-bombs to him. I wanted it to be like how it's always been. That's the best way."

Willard is presently listed on the 2012-13 NBA officiating roster and his upcoming leave of absence is similar in practice to cancer-related absences seen with MLB umpires Jeff Nelson and John Hirschbeck.

Willard, age 53, is a 25-year NBA veteran official and southern California native. He is scheduled to receive the Spirit of Hope Award during the 15th annual Evening With the Stars gala presented by the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network fundraiser in Beverly Hills, CA, 10/20/12.

News: NBA official, Long Beach State alum Greg Willard taking leave to battle pancreatic cancer

Referee Greg Willard Diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer

Long time and veteran National Basketball Association referee Greg Willard was scheduled to work last Wednesday's Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, but had to remove himself from the assignment due to an illness and troubling blood test results. On Monday, Willard was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

The 24 year NBA veteran official has officiated over 1,500 regular season games (including 61 this year) and over 120 postseason games. Only four days before Willard was scheduled to work Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals, he worked Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics that went to overtime. Willard had worked the previous two NBA Finals, but will be physically absent from this year's Finals.