Craig Graham Sager, a sports broadcaster for Turner Sports, fell victim to acute myeloid leukemia and breathed his last on December 15, 2016. Craig was 65 when he succumbed to the tumor four years after the initial diagnosis. As per his wife, Stacy Sager, the couple first learned about his cancer in 2014 and were told to resort to intensive treatment immediately.
The Sports Sideline reporter succumbed to the same monstrous disease three times and had to undergo a stem cell transplant after the third diagnosis. Leukemia deters the body’s ability to develop blood cells, and because of that, he missed the entire 2014 NBA playoffs and part of the 2014-15 season.
The cancer resurfaced post-2015; however, fortunately, his son, Craig II, was found as a bone marrow match. Although Sager underwent chemotherapy and other treatments, the cancer returned later. During the 2014 season, Craig II did a sideline interview with the San Antonio Spurs to record a special ‘get-well-soon’ message for Sager.
Soon after, doctors told him that he only had three to six months to cherish his life. Sager once again refrained from showing off his peculiar collection of garishly eccentric jackets and suits and gracing the sidelines. However, to memorialize him on December 15, the players donned a tribute t-shirt during warmups. To the surprise of the Sager family, the t-shirts had one of Sager’s signature gaudy suits printed on the front.
— Warner Bros. Discovery Sports U.S. PR (@WBDSportsPR) December 15, 2016
The Turner Sports veteran lived a rather colorful and inspiring life. He didn’t let the spirits dampen anytime during the rough patches.
A look at Craig Sager’s career
Sager hails from Batavia, Illinois, and attended Northwestern University in Evanston. He also donned the garb of “Willie the Wildcat,” the school’s mascot, for three years. He started off as a reporter for WWSB (Channel 40), covering baseball. The reporter even dodged the security on April 8, 1974, just to record the stellar 175th home run by Hank Aron.
His passion for covering sports reached its epitome in 1978 when he joined KMBC-Channel 9 in Kansas City. He was referred to as a ‘one-man crew.’ Sager covered the first live remote report by CNN from the 1980 baseball payoffs. With such a diverse range of work experience, the reporter also added numerous accolades to his achievements.
The NBA celebrated his life rather than mourning his death. This is what the ‘colorful’ Sager would have wanted.