It was the 11th day of May 1997. My dad and I were going to embark on our first ever NBA playoff game between the visiting Chicago Bulls and the hometown Atlanta Hawks. I knew I was going to see future hall of famers like Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dikembe Mutombo play ball. What I did not know was that those who entered the arena three hours prior to tipoff had a chance to stand courtside and watch players practice as long as they had a lower bowl seat.
I remember entering the Omni and seeing Toni Kukoc practice free throws. It just seemed natural to walk down there from our 17th row seats and watch these guys shoot and pass to each other (you know, as long as we stayed behind the yellow rope).
What I did not expect was the opportunity to meet a sports broadcaster who would later be known as a beloved, legendary, awe inspiring individual. The funny thing about running into Craig Sager on this day was that it was CRAIG who was walking towards me and my father. It was as if this guy wanted to eagerly greet this father/son duo. Perhaps, he was thinking of his own children while walking towards us.
As we were walking to the designated “viewing area” , Craig was standing directly in front of us, and my dad looked to me and said joyfully, “Recognize this guy?”
Then Craig extends his hand and says very proudly, “Craig Sager, TNT Sports!”
My reply is quite simply, “We know who you are. You’re a great announcer.” I joyfully said these words as I was shaking his hand. He replied in a humble manner, “Thank you. Thank you.”
Craig shook my dad’s hand as well, and he walked to another area. And my dad and I made our way to the “viewers’ area” behind the basket to watch Toni Kukoc, Steve Kerr, the late Brian Williams (he would later be known as Bison Dele), and Luc Longley practice.
At the time I was only 17 years old, and I had no idea at the time how those few seconds I spent with Craig Sager would impact me on a day such as today. Having gone through the rigors of medical school and residency and losing my own mother during medical school, I do know that death is an inevitable part of life. Craig Sager passed away today after a long hard fight with leukemia. If it took Craig only a few seconds to inspire me and touch my heart, I can only imagine the sense of anguish and grief his family and friends are experiencing today.
The one thing people point out when I show them the pic I took of him that day is that Craig Sager is wearing a “normal” business suit. Craig was always known for wearing colorful clothes during his assignments. NBC was covering the game that day. Hence, it was Craig’s “off day”, so maybe he wasn’t in the mood to look all glamorous.
Craig didn’t need the flashy clothes to be glamorous on that day. He warmed my heart as well as my father’s. I remember watching him interview Michael Jordan a week later in Chicago (surprise, surprise, the Bulls won the series in relative ease and were playing in the eastern conference finals) and thinking to myself, “I met Craig Sager. I met the guy who is interviewing Michael Jordan. This feels so special.” Having such a low self esteem as a teenager with brown skin growing up in south Georgia, Craig will have had no idea how much those precious few seconds with him meant to me.
I was 17 years old at the time and already felt as if I met a truly unique, special human being. And this was still the late 90s and WAY BEFORE Craig Sager would truly become the iconic sideline reporter we would all come to know and love.
I turn 37 years old next month. As the days go by and the years go by, people will eventually leave us. That part is inevitable. I know if my mother were still alive today, she would probably enjoy my reflections of Craig Sager, even though she never had a clue about sports.
We didn’t lose anyone today. We only gained another angel– a very colorfully dressed angel at that. Maybe he’s giving my mom some pointers about basketball.
My thoughts and prayers go out to his beloved family and friends.
#SagerStrong