On Thursday, Dec. 15, 2016, the sports world lost its very own Turner Sports broadcaster, Craig Sager, at the age of 65.
Turner Sports announced the news on their network with a statement by the President stating:
"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," Turner president David Levy said in a statement. "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.
Sager was well known for his exceptional sideline interviews and was loved by the NBA. Not only was he loved by the NBA, he was loved by the entire sports world.
“We will forever be Sager Strong.”
Television Sports Broadcaster
Craig Sager has been an NBA sideline reporter with Turner Sports for more than 30 years and worked his first NBA Finals game in June of 2016 with sideline reporter Doris Burke. As a sideline reporter for the NBAs Broadcast on TNT, Sager was known for his analytical questions and could connect with players, coaches and fans.
First job was a weatherman
After graduating from Northwestern with a degree in Speech, Sager went to Tampa, Florida to apply for a weatherman job at a small news station. He auditioned, with no surprise, with a blue, white yellow seersucker suit, where he purchased at Goodwill. After his audition, Sager got the job but was later told that he couldn’t wear the suit because it clashed on TV.
Always wore colorful and loud suits and ties
If you didn’t recognize Craig Sager by his name only, then one way to recognize him was by his crazy outfits. His suits were bold, colorful and sometimes ridiculous, but we still loved watching him on the sidelines. He wore velvet, plaid, checkered, bright pink, deep purple, the list goes on and on. In addition to the crazy suits, Sager wore polka dotted ties with flowers as well.
Had his first sideline reporting job in the MLB
In the same year, Craig Sager started working in the sports industry. Working for the Atlanta Braves affiliate station in Sarasota, Florida. Sager interviewed Hank Aaron about breaking Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record. His interviews with Aaron are now located in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. New York.
Battled Acute Myeloid Leukemia
On April 10, 2014, Sager was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. Sager was working the Spurs and Mavericks game in Dallas that night and felt that something wasn’t right. After the game, Sager went to the Mavericks team doctor and told him to go to the emergency room, where he was diagnosed. Sager later received a bone marrow transplant from his son.
However, cancer came back a year later. Sager once again went into surgery for another bone marrow transplant from his son.
On Aug. 31, Sager received a third bone marrow transplant, but this time from an anonymous donor, which is rare to obtain three transplants.
A Family Man
Craig Sager is survived by his wife, Stacey and his five children: Kacey, Craig Jr., Krista, Riley and Ryan. Sager’s wife was a former Chicago Bulls dancer and have two kids together Riley and Ryan, where Kacey, Krista, and Craig Jr. were from a previous marriage.
Inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame
Days before Sager passed away he was inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame. Sager was inducted alongside Verne Lundquist, Tim McCarver, and Robin Roberts. There is no question why Sager received such honor because his work on the sidelines for the NBA on TNT explains it all.
