ESPN last night named longtime Turner Sports NBA reporter Craig Sager as the '16 recipient of the Jimmy V Perseverance Award, which will be presented at this summer's ESPY Awards. Sager has waged a public fight against leukemia the last two years, and TNT's Ernie Johnson made the announcement prior to the net's coverage of Warriors-Thunder Game 4 last night. Johnson noted the award is "very exciting for you and for all of us who know you." Johnson: "So richly deserved, and I know that means the word to you." Sager said he got to know the late Jim Valvano while working the '91 Pan Am Games and noted Valvano's speech from the inaugural ESPYs in '93 "resonates as strong today as it did that day." Sager: "I have it on my cell phone, I can play it in the hospital when I am feeling down. 'Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.' That’s pretty much what I’ve tried to follow." Sager noted cancer is a "terrible disease" and said, "I don’t want it to affect how I live, I don’t want it to affect how I do my job. Hopefully the clinical drugs, the trials I’m on will come up with some type of medical treatment, hoping one day to lead to some type of a cure for this terrible disease" (“NBA Tip-Off,” TNT, 5/24). NBA TV’s Rick Kamla said, "I can’t wait to hear his acceptance speech and the subsequent ovation at the ESPYs. What a scene that is going to be.” NBA TV’s Isiah Thomas: “Talk about somebody persevering and being a true inspiration, a living inspiration right in front of you. He’s been just magnificent and magnanimous the way he has handled all of this.” NBA TV’s Greg Anthony: “Craig’s one of the best teammates I have ever had" (“NBA GameTime,” NBA TV, 5/25). ESPN's Mike Greenberg said Sager was a "great choice” for the award. ESPN's Mike Golic: “I look forward to seeing his outfit at the ESPYs” (“Mike & Mike,” ESPN Radio, 5/25).
STEADY SUPPORT: In Ft. Lauderdale, Ira Winderman notes Heat G Dwyane Wade's "appreciation for high fashion drew greater appreciation" yesterday, as the entire TNT pregame and broadcasting crew wore "Wade-inspired neckwear designed to benefit the SagerStrong Foundation." As part of their partnership with Wade, The Tie Bar "is offering exclusive tie and pocket-square designs to benefit the foundation working in support" of Sager (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 5/25).
