ESPN exec shares plan for 91-year-old Hubie Brown’s future
Nov 2, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; ESPN broadcaster Hubie Brown during the NBA game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports
Longtime NBA broadcaster and former head coach Hubie Brown is nearing the end of his legendary career.
Brown, 91, is currently in his 21st season as an announcer with ESPN. During an appearance on the latest episode of Jimmy Traina’s “SI Media” podcast, ESPN president Burke Magnus said the plan is for Brown to call one more NBA game before retiring.
“We are going to give Hubie one last shot on a game. He deserves that,” Magnus said, as transcribed by Ben Axelrod of Awful Announcing. “We think the world of him. I think it’s absolutely remarkable the level he still calls games at age 90-plus. … We’re going to honor Hubie this year during the regular season at some point to be determined and send him off in style.”
Magnus added that he does not think there has been “a single human being that’s ever had a longer association with professional basketball.”
Brown landed his first NBA coaching job in 1972, when he was hired as an assistant with the Milwaukee Bucks. He then became the head coach of the American Basketball Association’s Kentucky Colonels in 1974. Brown led the Colonels to an ABA championship in 1975.
Brown went on to coach the Atlanta Hawks from 1976-1981, New York Knicks from 1982-1987 and Memphis Grizzlies from 2002-2004. He was named the NBA coach of the Year in 1978 and 2004.
After signing with ESPN/ABC as the network’s top NBA analyst in 2005, Brown called the NBA Finals in 2005 and 2006. He was replaced Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy after that.
Brown was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005 and National Sports Media Association Hall of Fame in 2022. He is also a member of the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
It has been a difficult year for Brown, as his wife Clair died in June and his 54-year-old son Brendan died two weeks ago.