Craig Sager would be a name that all NBC athletes and fans would know about. He was a much sought after sideline reporter known for his loud outfits and interesting questions.
Sager had been diagnosed with leukemia back in 2014. While some thought that the diagnosis would end the career of the exuberant reporter, he continued to work. Everyone was aware of his disease and that he would take blood transfusions to be able to travel for work.
There have been several incidents where he an outing at a game preceded a stint in the hospital. Craig Sager made his last appearance in a game in June and subsequently canceled his plans to work with the NBC during the Summer Olympics in Rio so that he could get treatment.
Craig Sager’s colleagues Reggie Miller and Marv Albert said that he had an in-depth knowledge of the game of basketball and always tried to find out what was happening behind the scenes. He felt that that was where the real story was and would always hover around the benches in search for scoops.
Sager had a profound knowledge of the game and his understanding extended to the way he conducted interviews with the players. Craig Sager shared a close relationship with most of the NBC players and would often get the news that he wanted since the sportsmen would open up to him.
Marv Albert reportedly said that Craig Sager got the players to open up since he shared a good relationship with them and also because the outfits that he wore to the games made him appear underrated.
After a long stay in the hospital, he got a chance to interview the San Antonio Spurs’ coach, Gregg Popovich. Popovich is known to be cold with the sideline reporters, but at this particular moment, he showed warmth while interviewing with Craig Sager and confessed to enjoying the interview.
According to Latin Times, Craig Sager was a staple for the National Basketball Association. The players loved having him around since he made things fun for them. He never pushed the players or the officials to a tight corner with his questions but made sure that they had an answer for even his trickiest questions.
Luke Walton, the coach for the LA Lakers, said that Craig Sager was part of the NBA Games and it wouldn’t be the same without him gracing the sidelines in his crazy suits. It was as fun to watch the games as to see him take interviews.
Craig Sager worked with TNT, but he was invited by ABC to be their reporter for Game 6 during one of the NBC finals. This being a rare opportunity, one that is seldom seen among rival networks, Sager took up the assignment even though he was on an eight-day chemotherapy session at the M.D Anderson Cancer Center.
Known for his wardrobe, Sager purchased a new outfit for the occasion since he wanted to look good.
While Craig Sager is known for his reporting, he also caught attention with his eccentric style of clothing. He would grace the sidelines in the NBC arenas with his banana yellow, lilac, and lime green colored outfits and psychedelic printed clothes.
NY Times reported that Sager would also experiment with prints and designs and seldom repeated his clothes during a public outing. When asked about his choice of colors and patterns, Sager said that his clothes reflect his persona.
In his autobiography, “Living Out Loud: Sports, Cancer and the Things Worth Fighting For,” he said that life should be about fun and the clothes should reflect the same.