ESPN & TNT Agree, Craig Sager To Work First NBA Finals Game

NBA sideline reporter Craig Sager's illustrious 34 year career at Turner Sports has come with one downside. Come Thursday, it will be rectified.

Sager, known for his inquisitive questions and flamboyant suits, has never covered an NBA Finals game in his career as Turner sports has never had the broadcast rights to the NBA Finals.

As first reported by the AP, ESPN and TNT have come to an agreement, allowing Sager to share sideline duties in Thursday's NBA Finals game 6 with Doris Burke. The game will air on ABC.

"Welcome to our team. It's an honor," Burke said in an ESPN video message today.

Sager is battling acute myeloid leukemia. ESPN will honor him at next month's ESPY awards with the Jimmy V Perseverance Award.

Sager released the following statement about today's announcement:

"I'd like to thank Turner and ESPN for approaching me with this tremendous opportunity to be part of The Finals broadcast team. I've been watching the series very closely and, while I do not want to distract in any way from the event itself, I look forward to being in the building for what will be an incredibly exciting Game 6. The NBA community is a very special one and this is a great honor."