Crawford's career as an NBA referee comes to early end due to knee issue

Joey Crawford meant this season to be his final one as an NBA referee, but in an unfortunate turn of events, his career will end sooner than he hoped. Crawford told NBA.com's Steve Aschburner that a lingering knee injury will keep him off the floor for the rest of this season, after which he will retire as previously planned.

"I was lucky," Crawford said. "For 35 years or so it was only like, a calf (injury) here or there. But the last two years, my 38th and 39th, it just broke down on me. What're ya gonna do? You just move on."

Crawford, 64, underwent surgery on a torn meniscus in his knee in December. He had hoped to return this month, but the injury has not healed significantly.

And so ends the 39-year career of one of the NBA's most recognizable officials. While he retires as one of the league's most respected referees, he frequently drew the ire of players and fans alike for an often-cantankerous disposition and hair-trigger whistle.

Related: Peak Joey Crawford moments

In the 2007 playoffs, Crawford was suspended after making two technical foul calls on Tim Duncan for laughing on the bench. The referee credits the incident for making him re-evaluate his position.

"I was very, very arrogant," Crawford told Aschburner of his early NBA career. "I had to constantly be told, 'You need to do a little personality overhaul, Joe.' The Duncan thing? That was my fault. I can say this, I was a lot better my last 10 years than I was my first 29 years."

LeBron James praised Crawford in January when news broke of his retirement. "The Joey-isms," James said of what he would miss the most. "He has his way of calling certain calls. Traveling or blocks or things of that nature, man, he has his ways but it's all good."