ESPN announcer Mark Jones paid Hubie Brown a tremendous tribute Friday night, giving the 91-year-old color analyst a nickname worthy of the digital era.
Brown will call his final NBA game on Sunday when the Philadelphia 76ers play the Milwaukee Bucks on ABC. It’s almost unfathomable how much NBA history Brown has seen since joining the league as an assistant coach with the Bucks in 1972. Later came bigger, more prominent coaching roles, and then a broadcast career spanning more than 40 years.
During Friday night’s 76ers-Detroit Pistons game, Jones gave a promo for Sunday’s game then mentioned Brown’s farewell.
“Folks, this will be Hall of Famer Hubie Brown’s final call of a game, his final one,” Jones said. “An absolute legend, whose NBA career has spanned 50 years in coaching and broadcasting.
“Having worked with Hubie for the majority of my years here at ESPN as a sideline reporter and play-by-play announcer, we will all be sad to see him go, but very grateful for the experience to share in his basketball journey. And when you talk about a walking Google of basketball — I can’t say encyclopedia, kids will miss that — this guy, you’re looking at Google of basketball right there, Hubie Brown.”
“Our NBA Today did a tremendous tribute to Hubie Brown today,” analyst Cory Alexander added. “By the way my friend, you are all over it, when you had the opportunity to spend so much time with the great Hubie Brown, who is calling his last game at 91 years young.”
There have been a number of tributes to Brown thus far, and there will be more to come this weekend. But calling him “a walking Google of basketball” ranks up there with the best anyone can say about the legendary Brown.
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.