Charlotte Hornets announcer Eric Collins showcased his vocal prowess on Friday night, taking on the role of the most animated referee during a crucial buzzer play. Known for his entertaining style as the FanDuel Sports Network Southeast play-by-play man, Collins seized the moment as the Hornets and San Antonio Spurs clashed in the final seconds of the game.
His first standout moment came when Miles Bridges hit a three-pointer, giving the Hornets a one-point lead with just 1.4 seconds on the clock. “Corner three … Yessssss! Good golly Miss Molly!” Collins exclaimed. But his second call was even more dramatic—after the Spurs inbounded the ball to newly acquired star De’Aaron Fox, he dribbled once and took a shot. Collins shouted, “Didn’t get it off!” as the ball flew toward the basket.
Though the ball went in and officials ruled it counted, Collins maintained his assertion: “Didn’t get it off! They say it’s good, but I don’t think he got it off!” As Fox and his teammates celebrated cautiously, Collins continued to argue against the validity of the shot, questioning, “De’Aaron Fox hits it, but was the ball still on his fingers?” The broadcast rolled a replay, revealing the ball still in Fox’s hands at the buzzer.
After the footage aired, Collins exclaimed, “Yes! It’s over! The Hornets are going to win! Fox had it too long. Everyone in the building knows it! The Spurs know it. It’s over!”
As he often does, Eric Collins brought the excitement for the Hornets’ dramatic win over the Spurs on Friday night.
“IT’S OVER. THE HORNETS ARE GONNA WIN…EVERYONE IN THE BUILDING KNOWS IT. THE SPURS KNOW IT. IT’S OVEEEER.”pic.twitter.com/oZ4znK6MlL
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 8, 2025
Enthusiastic calls like this have become a hallmark of Collins’ commentary. On this occasion, he delivered the right call before the officials could weigh in.
