Imagine watching a youth 10-and-under basketball game when heavily involved parents begin yelling at the referee. Naturally, the parents believe the ref missed a call, one that could've changed the result of the game.
Most referees in this situation are high school or college kids looking to make a little extra cash for dates or the latest video game. Admittedly they don't have the highest basketball knowledge, still learning the game themselves.
But every now and then, you get a referee who knows what they're talking about — a referee who knows the game better than most people on the planet. For parents in Silver Spring, Maryland, one of those referees officiating youth games is just that sort of man.
The NBA Hall of Famer and one of the greatest players to ever wear a Utah Jazz uniform, Adrian Dantley is that referee jogging up and down the court with a whistle in his mouth. He's the one making those calls that could alter the results of the games — he's the one parents will sometimes be yelling at.
"I've been refereeing now for about nine years, I think," Dantley said. "I enjoy being around the guys playing basketball. I really enjoy being around the 10-and-under just to see them develop from elementary school all the way through junior high school and then high school."
Now long-retired from the game of basketball, Dantley serves as a prominent figure in Silver Spring — even if he tries to blend in with the masses.
When he's not officiating basketball games, Dantley can be found on the streets under a different light than the ones he used to play under. Instead of being under the bright lights of the Salt Palace, he stands under street lights to make sure kids are safe crossing the road.
Yes, the two-time all-NBA player is a crossing guard.
"I think I've been doing this for 10 years. … I'll probably do it until I go under," Dantley laughed.
While that may seem odd considering his high stature being one of the NBA's most elite scorers, Dantley revels in the anonymity of it all. He enjoys just being a part of the community, someone involved with the youth who's making life better for everyone.
"Famous? I'm not famous. … I'm just a crossing guard," Dantley told people when they noticed him being filmed.
Ironically, it's under these street lights where Dantley can calmly and peacefully reflect on his time under those bright lights.
Playing 15 years in the NBA, Dantley averaged 24.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game. A prolific scorer, he shot 54% from the field throughout his career, made more remarkable because he's listed at 6-foot-5 but played the game like a power forward for doing his damage near the rim.
He's Utah's all-time scoring leader, averaging 29.6 points per game throughout his seven seasons with the Jazz. He led the league in scoring in 1981 and 1984, averaging over 30 points per game each year while being named the 1984 NBA Comeback Player of the Year. He made all six of his all-star appearances while playing in Salt Lake City.
"I think I've always persevered," Dantley said. "The odds have always been against me since I've been thinking about playing sports. I wasn't tall enough, I wasn't quick enough, I wasn't fast enough. … So I used to always hear this from all the critics at every level."
Dantley stays plenty busy with his career long over while serving as a crossing guard and referee. It's that same work ethic that allowed him to thrive in the league so long — so it makes perfect sense that he's continued that level of commitment in his everyday life.
"I defeated all the odds and persevered. ... That's what I'm known for," Dantley said. "A lot of people that know me, they always say, "The hardest working man in town," they call me James Brown Jr."
While it's unknown where Dantley's life will further take him, he believes that being a crossing guard and official will still be a part of the game plan — under the lights still, albeit different ones.
"Most of the kids when I first started, they didn't know me," Dantley said. "As I've been officiating, pretty much all the kids and the parents know me now since I been doing it for a long period of time."