Craig Sager

Bio:
Craig Sager (born June 29, 1951 in Batavia, Illinois) was an American sideline reporter for TNT and TBS. He began his career as a reporter for WXLT in Sarasota, FL in 1972. He joined Turner Sports as a sideline reporter for The NBA on TNT. He also reported Nordic skiing and curling for TNT’s coverage of the 1992 Winter Olympics. He spent 20 seasons as a sideline reporter for TNT’s exclusive Thursday night NBA doubleheader program. He also covered golf, tennis and amateur sports. Craig reported from the sideline for TBS’s Pac-10/Big 12 college football from 2002 to 2006. He also frequented NBC Sports channel, especially during the Olympics. In 2016, Sage partnered with Doris Burke of ESPN as a sideline reporter for Game 6 of the NBA Finals. His flamboyant outfits, notably his eye-catching blazers, made him a beloved staple of the NBA.

Best Known For:
Craig was best known as a sideline reporter.

Personal Life:
Craig was married to Stacy Sager, a former Chicago Bulls dancer. They had two children, Riley and Ryan. He also had three children from a previous marriage. Craig was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in 2014 and missed the entire playoffs. His son, Craig Jr., was a match for the bone marrow transplant Craig needed to save his life. In March 2016, it was announced that his leukemia had returned and, without treatment, he was given 3-6 months to live. On July 13, 2016, Craig was awarded the prestigious Jimmy V Perseverance Award at the 2016 ESPY Awards. Sadly, he passed away on Dec. 15, 2016.