Craig Sager's Colorful Style Honored by NBA Community, Pastor, Gospel Singer
When veteran TNT sports sideline reporter Craig Sager was memorialized at Mount Bethel United Methodist Church in Marietta, Georgia, Tuesday, his life's impact on everybody from a pastor, gospel singer and NBA community were showcased.
The Rev. Randy Mickler, the former senior pastor of the church, led the service and opted to wear a colorful purple paisley suit instead of his normal all-black garb in honor of Sager, who has become known for his flamboyant attire.
"Craig would be extremely pleased and proud at the attire that is in this room this date," Mickler told the congregation in attendance, according to New York Daily News reports.
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Sager died last Thursday at 65 years old, after a two year battle with myeloid leukemia. During the service to honor his life Tuesday, gospel singer Yolanda Adams performed her hit song "Never Give Up" and R. Kelly's classic ballad "I Believe I Can Fly."
Even the gospel star had to comment on the colorful suit jackets that were often worn by Sager.
"Those colors," she told the congregation, according to Eurweb reports. "He made an indelible mark on the world."
Aside from Sager's biological family, his TNT family was present with appearances by fellow sportscasters Ernie Johnson, Reggie Miller and Charles Barkley. San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was also spotted in the congregation for the memorial that featured both laughs and emotional moments.
Both of those moments happened when Johnson decided to honor his colleague with a poem. Before reciting it, he spoke about how Sager would be an inspiration to others facing similar cancer battles.
"Here's what Craig has done – He's planted sequoias. There will be people who watched this fight, who unfortunately 10, 15, 20 years from now will hear a doctor say, 'Yeah, it's cancer,'" Johnson said at the service. "And they're going to say, 'I remember when I was 15 years old and I watched this guy, Craig Sager, fight this thing. I can, too.'"
When news broke of Sager's death last week, a number of people in and around the NBA community offered their prayers and condolences. Cleveland Cavaliers star Lebron James was one of them.
"RIP friend!!! Great to have work with you, known you and watch you for all these years," James wrote on Instagram. "My blessing to your family and many prayers sent to the heavens above! #SagerStrong."
Los Angeles Clippers guard Jamal Crawford joked Sager took his sense of style to heaven.
"Heaven just got a little more colorful..#SagerStrong," Crawford wrote.
