NBA reporters band together to support Craig Sager

          • Sarah SpainApr 8, 2016, 10:21 AM ET
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              Sarah Spain (follow her on Twitter @SarahSpain) is the co-host of Spain & Fitz on ESPN Radio, host of the That's What She Said podcast, a SportsCenter reporter and an espnW columnist since 2010. She was a heptathlete at Cornell and is a lifelong Chicago sports fan.
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          You might have noticed that the sidelines at NBA games have been a little bit brighter the past few nights, and it's not just reporters breaking out their spring duds as warmer temps approach. The plaid blazers, boldly colored dresses and printed scarves donned by hoops reporters all over the country this week are the result of an idea hatched by Los Angeles Lakers sideline reporter Mike Trudell.

          A Northwestern University grad who grew up admiring fellow Wildcat Craig Sager, Trudell wanted to do something to honor the TNT reporter as he endures an ongoing battle with leukemia.

          "Last week, I watched HBO's 'Real Sports' piece on Sager," Trudell said. "I took note of how he said on camera that any kind of gesture helps him with his fight. I thought he might appreciate seeing a sideline reporter rock a 'Sager-esque' outfit, so I planned on wearing something to a Lakers game and saying something on the air. Then I figured, why not get the entire NBA involved?"

          Trudell sent out an email to reporters all over the league asking them to participate in his #SidelineForSager initiative.

          "Within a few hours, I'd already heard back from most everybody," said Trudell, who wore a bright blue suit with a checkered pink shirt Tuesday night for the Lakers' tilt with the Clippers. "Each reporter was enthusiastic and fantastic about putting outfits together, putting the photos out on social media and, in many cases, honoring Craig with a few words on the air."

          "I think our collective hope was simple: give Craig even a tiny bit of additional strength as he continues to battle cancer," Trudell said.

          The timing was perfect, as every team in the NBA played Tuesday or Wednesday night this week, giving sideline reporters from coast to coast the opportunity to participate. Jeremiah Johnson, the pregame and postgame host for the Indiana Pacers, enjoyed the opportunity to show his support.

          "During the five-plus hours at Bankers Life Fieldhouse [Wednesday night], I had numerous people look at me and ask, 'What are you wearing?'" said Johnson, who donned a pale pink blazer for the Pacers' clash with the Cavs. "I enjoyed explaining to each one that we were paying tribute to Craig Sager. I hope he realizes how many people are pulling for him."

          New York Knicks sideline reporter Rebecca Haarlow, who wore a lemon yellow skirt to work Wednesday's game, echoed Johnson's thoughts. "Craig is talented, unique and legendary," she said. "All of us want him to know we're behind him every step of the way. He's been there for so many, and now we're here for him."

          Some studio hosts, such as ESPN's Cassidy Hubbarth and Chauncey Billups, got in on the action, as well.

          "Sager is a legend," said Hubbarth, who rocked a checked, citrus-hued jacket on set Wednesday night. "Hard to measure his impact on the game, but there's evidence of just how beloved he is by the amount of support he's receiving during this battle. His courage and love for the league is inspiring and humbling."

          For Atlanta Hawks reporter Olivia Harlan, Sager is more than just an inspiration, he's part of the family.

          "My dad, [Kevin Harlan], has worked with Craig for years at TNT," said Harlan, who wore an intricately patterned blue and beige jacket Tuesday night at Philips Arena. "They have become friends. My mom and his wife, Stacy, sit together at some games, they occasionally get dinner on the road. When Craig beat leukemia the first time, his comeback game was in Chicago last March. After an emotional game with a standing ovation from the Chicago crowd, my family went out to celebrate with Craig and Stacy at Gibson's Steakhouse, where they had a cake shaped like a Bud Light -- Craig's favorite beer. The Sagers are such good people with big hearts and so much love."

          "Certainly, the way Craig has inspired so many with his fight while never complaining and still doing his job with a smile is quite remarkable," said Memphis sideline reporter Rob Fischer, who donned a shiny black and blue blazer for the Grizzlies' matchup with the Bulls on Tuesday.

          Trudell says #SidelineForSager is about much more than the outfits, just as Sager's career on the sideline has never really been about his flashy suits and shoes.

          "The outfits are significant because I think Sager's utilized them brilliantly in his career to break the ice with the players," Trudell said. "They always end up being more comfortable talking to him and giving him great content to report. I've always looked up to his ability to connect with his interview subjects, and I think the wild attire has played a nice supporting role with his excellent preparation, hard work and smarts."

          On Thursday night, it was Sager himself brightening the sideline, wearing a mint green jacket and matching tie while working the sideline for the Bulls' matchup with the Heat in Miami. Sager received a standing ovation from the crowd -- and all of the players -- as a touching video montage of his work over the years played on the stadium's video board.