Veteran sideline reporter Craig Sager of Turner Sports will join ABC/ESPN's basketball crew for the NBA Finals, the company announced Wednesday.
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Sager will join Doris Burke for sideline duties and cover Game 6 as the Warriors, up 3-2, will look to win the title in Cleveland. This is the first time Sager has covered an NBA Finals, and he's excited about the opportunity.
“I’d like to thank Turner and ESPN for approaching me with this tremendous opportunity to be part of The Finals broadcast team,” Sager said in a statement. “I’ve been watching the series very closely, and, while I do not want to distract in any way from the event itself, I look forward to being in the building for what will be an incredibly exciting Game 6. The NBA community is a very special one, and this is a great honor.”
The well-respected reporter revealed to HBO Sports in March his cancer was no longer in remission. He clarified his prognosis in a statement a few days later.
“I have acute myeloid leukemia, an aggressive type of cancer,” the statement read. “The typical prognosis is 3-6 months to live, but I would like to stress that is for a patient who is not receiving treatment. Fortunately, I am receiving the best treatment in the world and I remain fully confident I will win this battle.”
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Sager worked Game 5 of Thunder vs. Spurs earlier in the postseason while still undergoing treatment. His continuous hard work shows the dedication he has to his craft.
My dad is in the middle of 8 days of chemo, drove 3.5 hours from HOU to SA to work this game, driving back in the am. Absurd. #SagerStrong
— Kacy Sager (@THESagerbomb) May 11, 2016
“Craig is an iconic member of the NBA family who indelibly makes his mark on each and every broadcast. I know our entire team is delighted to work with Craig for Game 6," said John Wildhack, ESPN executive vice president, production and programming. "We all agree his professional reputation is second-to-none, though it’s his personal reputation – that of class, selflessness and respect – which makes this even more special for our team. We hope that this will be a special night for Craig and for NBA fans. We are grateful for his interest and for the continued collaboration with our friends at Turner."
