NBA play-by-play man Mark Jones will be on the call for ESPN as the San Antonio Spurs visit the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night, a broadcast that comes with a historic twist for the worldwide leader. As part of its Black History Month celebration, Jones is leading the network’s initiative to produce an NBA game with an entirely Black staff. This includes Jones and Richard Jefferson in the booth, Lisa Salters on the sideline, as well as Black producers, technicians, and content creators. The role of play-by-play is particularly meaningful to Jones, who transitioned to this position later in his career after working as an anchor and reporter.
In a new interview with Andscape’s Marc J. Spears, Jones explained that having a Black announcer call a game extends beyond merely fulfilling a diversity requirement. “I equate the play-by-play announcer to the point guard in basketball or the quarterback, even in football,” Jones said. “Your play-by-play announcer is the one who drives a lot of the narratives, serving as the predominant storyteller of a broadcast, humanizing players and fostering fan connections.”
While it is common for Black former athletes to take on analyst roles, which have produced some of the most popular commentators in the sport such as Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller, and Bill Russell, Jones emphasizes that play-by-play creates narratives and memories that endure. He believes more Black voices in the broadcast booth can enhance viewer understanding of players’ lives while also resonating more effectively with the audience. “I think it can be very convenient at times to have a Black analyst who’s a former player,” Jones noted. “With 70 percent of the NBA being Black, I naturally connect with players by spending summers in gyms observing them alongside their trainers, agents, and families, allowing me to share those organic stories from the play-by-play chair.” Moreover, he acknowledged the rising stars in the field, highlighting his ESPN colleagues Michael Grady and Tiffany Greene.
As NBC prepares to return to NBA coverage next season with Mike Tirico calling top games after a three-decade absence, Jones emphasizes the importance of organizations like NABJ and NAHJ in promoting opportunities for Black and Hispanic journalists. He advocates for developing a deeper pipeline for play-by-play announcers across basketball and all sports.
