John Vanak was a referee in the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association.[1]
In 1969, when the upstart American Basketball Association was raiding the NBA for talent, Vanak, along with three other top NBA "lead" referees — Joe Gushue, Earl Strom and Norm Drucker - jumped to the ABA with multi-year contracts paying much higher salaries than NBA officials received.[2] As a result, professional officiating salaries dramatically increased.[3]
Vanak officiated in the 1966 NBA All-Star Game, 1970 ABA All-Star Game, 1972 ABA All-Star Game, 1974 ABA All-Star Game, 1977 NBA Finals, 1979 NBA All-Star Game, 1980 NBA Finals, 1981 NBA Finals, 1983 NBA Finals, 1984 NBA All-Star Game and 1985 NBA Finals