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Legendary NBA announcer Marv Albert — the “voice of basketball” — is stepping away from the mic … with the Hall of Famer confirming his retirement at the end of the 2021 season.
79-year-old Albert has been calling games for 55 years — spending 22 years with Turner Sports. He’s called 25 NBA All-Star Games, 13 NBA Finals and the 1992 Olympics, covering the iconic “Dream Team.”
He’s also worked at 8 Super Bowls and Stanley Cup Finals … as well as NFL games, horse racing, tennis, baseball and more.
Albert will be signing off one final time after the conclusion of the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals … with TNT set to air a 30-minute tribute in his honor.
“My 55 years of broadcasting the NBA has just flown by and I’ve been fortunate to work with so many wonderful and talented people,” Albert said Monday.
“Now, I’ll have the opportunity to hone my gardening skills and work on my ballroom dancing.”
Albert — known for his signature “YES!” catchphrase — kickstarted his career with the New York Knicks in 1963 and went on to work with NBC Sports and CBS Sports as well, before joining TNT in 1999.
Albert was honored with the Curt Gowdy Media Award by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1997 … and has a stuffed trophy case with numerous other awards for his work.
NBA commish Adam Silver praised Albert … saying, “There is no voice more closely associated with NBA basketball than Marv Albert’s.”
“My first memories of the NBA were of listening to Marv call a game with his signature style, iconic phrases and unparalleled passion. From his remarkable run as play-by-play announcer for the Knicks to his prominent national roles calling our marquee games on NBC and Turner Sports, Marv has been the soundtrack for basketball fans for nearly 60 years.”
“We congratulate him on a Hall of Fame career that is simply unmatched.”