Turner Sports has announced that Craig Sager, longtime NBA sideline reporter for the network, has died after bout with cancer
Craig Sager, who was 65, suffered from a rare form of cancer called acute myeloid leukemia for more than two years which included multiple rounds of chemotherapy and other treatments. He was first diagnosed in 2014, and went into remission after a bone marrow transplant, but the disease returned in March.
Sager had a legendary career with Turner Sports which spanned 26 seasons covering NBA broadcasts. If you aren’t familiar with the name, I’m sure you’re familiar with his many colorful suit selections. They were so bright and dynamic, even Kevin Garnett told him to burn his outfit after a game.
Turner President David Levy issued a statement honoring Sager’s career.
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“Craig Sager was a beloved member of the Turner family for more than three decades and he has been a true inspiration to all of us,” Levy said. “There will never be another Craig Sager. His incredible talent, tireless work ethic and commitment to his craft took him all over the world covering sports.”
Another highlight of Sager’s career was his interviews with San Antonio Spurs’ head coach Gregg Popovich. This dynamic duo was always fun to watch, even if Popovich didn’t give an elaborative answer.
“Even though he does what he does design- and fashion-wise, it’s part of the shtick,” Popovich told HBO’s Real Sports. “But his questions are always sensible. They’re answerable and he does it with fun. He does it with humor. I react to that very positively, so we have a good time together.”
Sager was an icon in the world of journalism. To many of his colleagues, he was an even better man. One of the highlights of his career happened this year in which he covered his first NBA Finals during Game 6 between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors.
After the game, the entire crowd in the Quicken Loans Arena gave him a standing ovation. In his postgame interview with LeBron James, the Finals MVP shouted “How in the hell did you go 30 plus years without a Finals game? That don’t make no sense.”
Sager’s desire to work through what became known as a highly public illness is admirable, and should be applauded. Consequently, he was honored with the Jimmy V Perseverance Award at the ESPYs in July. His acceptance speech alone shows he remained positive no matter the circumstances.
“Whatever I might have imagined a terminal diagnosis would do to my spirit, it summoned quite the opposite – the greatest appreciation for life itself,” said Sager. “So I will never give up, and I will never give in.”
Sager was an inspiration to many, who was passionate about his profession and greeted every athlete or coach he interviewed with a smile. He joins a legendary list of journalists in sports who lost their life recently, including Stuart Scott, John Saunders and Rebecca Wilson.
The NBA lost a legend today, and his impact will be felt for generations to come.
