Craig Sager, Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer and Turner Sports Legend, Dies at 65

Turner President David Levy announced today that TNT’s NBA sideline reporter and beloved broadcaster Craig Sager, 65, has died. Sager had been battling acute myeloid leukemia for three years. Last year, he completed his 26th season as sideline reporter for Turner Sports’ exclusive Thursday-night NBA on TNT coverage and, this week, was inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame. He is survived by his wife, Stacy, and children Riley, Ryan, Kacy, Craig Jr., and Krista.

Craig Sager
NBA Talent
Photo: Jeremy Freeman

Levy issued the following statement: “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. 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.

“While he will be remembered fondly for his colorful attire and the TNT sideline interviews he conducted with NBA coaches and players, it’s the determination, grace, and will to live he displayed during his battle with cancer that will be his lasting impact.  Our thoughts and prayers are with Craig’s wife, Stacy, and the entire Sager family during this difficult time. We will forever be Sager Strong.”

As he was inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame on Tuesday night, Sager was honored by Levy:

Sager’s Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame profile follows:
For more than two decades, Sager’s loud suits and genial demeanor have become staples of the NBA on TNT. As Turner Sports’ NBA sideline reporter for 26 years, he endeared himself to players, coaches, and fans alike with his easy rapport and insatiable energy — all while keeping viewers informed about the happenings on and off the court.

“I think Craig Sager has been the most influential sideline reporter in history,” said NBA Hall of Famer and Inside the NBA analyst Charles Barkley. “Every player knows him, every player loves talking to him, and every player loves making fun of him. You know that means they respect him and like him. I love you, Craig Sager.”

Breaking Into Broadcasting
A native of Batavia, IL, Sager graduated from Northwestern University, where he was a walk-on with the football and basketball teams and served a three-year term as the university’s Willie the Wildcat mascot.

He got started in broadcasting in Florida, first with WXLT-TV Sarasota in 1972 and then at Sarasota’s WSPB-Radio (where he interviewed Hank Aaron on the field moments after he slugged home run No. 715) and WTSP-TV St. Petersburg. He went on to become sports director for WINK-TV Ft. Myers, where he was honored with the Sportscaster of the Year Award from the Florida High School Coaches Association. He then spent two years as sports director and reporter at KMBC-TV Kansas City, MO, calling play-by-play for the Kansas City Kings, Royals spring training, and Chiefs preseason games.

Joining the Turner Family
After handling CNN’s first-ever live remote report from the 1980 MLB Postseason, Sager joined the Turner Broadcasting family the following year, co-anchoring CNN’s Sports Tonight (for which he won a CableAce award in 1985) and College Football Scoreboard.

“Craig is a pioneer within Turner and an icon in the sports-media industry,” said Turner President David Levy. “As much as he is known for his unique wardrobe, he is well respected for his exceptional work as a reporter. Yes, his wardrobe is special, but so too is his undeniable talent to always ask the right questions and to treat others fairly, regardless of the circumstance.”

Beyond the NBA on TNT
In addition to his iconic role on the sidelines for the NBA on TNT (for which he received his first Sports Emmy nomination, in 2012), Sager worked a multitude of other Turner Sports Properties, including a gig as sideline reporter for Turner and CBS’s joint coverage of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament since 2011. He also covered the USA Men’s National Basketball Team in tournaments around the world, including the 2002 FIBA World Championship.

“Craig Sager has been one of the best reporters in the world,” said Inside the NBA analyst Kenny Smith. “His ability to ask the tough questions in the correct way has given him respect by the players that no other reporter has ever gotten.”

Away from the hard court, Sager reported for TBS’s MLB Postseason coverage from 2007 through ’13. On the gridiron, he served as sideline reporter for the NFL on TNT from 1990 to ’97, and TBS’s college-football coverage from 2002 to ’06. In addition, he was course reporter at the 2009 PGA Championship and reported from Turner Sports’ coverage of 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2000, and 2001 Goodwill Games, as well as for TNT’s coverage of the 1992 Winter Olympics. In addition to his Turner Sports assignments, Sager worked the Olympic basketball sidelines for NBC at every Summer Games since Sydney in 2000.

“Craig is an inspiration to me and so many others in our business,” said Levy. “The positive outlook he demonstrated every day since I’ve known him is contagious. His affinity for sports is surpassed only by his love for his family and passion for life itself.”

A Heroic Struggle Inspires the World
Although Sager was been a beloved figure among sports fans for years, his heroic battle with acute myeloid leukemia over the past three brought him into the hearts of America like never before. No matter the setback in his fight — including three bone-marrow transplants since he was diagnosed in 2014 — Sager continues to demonstrate astonishing grace and courage. Throughout much of his battle, he continued to work NBA sidelines for TNT and for his first-ever NBA Finals for ESPN in 2016.

Earlier this year, the father of five and husband to Stacy received the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at the 2016 ESPY Awards.