An announcer can really make or break a game for the average sports fan sitting at home tuning into a hotly contested college basketball matchup. Many games have plenty of drama built into them, but the job of the announcer is to try to make you feel like you are inside the arena. The best announcers help a viewer stay well informed throughout the entire game.
The field of announcers is much larger in college basketball as compared to college football. Since there are so many more games, the major networks must have many more crews ready to cover all the games. As you can imagine, there are plenty of announcers that do a poor job, but there are also several who stand out above the rest of the pack. Let’s take a closer look at some of the best college basketball announcers.
Top Five College Basketball Announcers
5. Dick Vitale – I realize that this is a controversial selection. Some fans can’t stand listening to Vitale call a game. I’m including Vitale on this list because his passion for the game is evident at all times. Sure, he can definitely annoy you occasionally, but you have to respect how much he loves the game of basketball. Is there an announcer in any sport in the world that gets more excited about the game they cover?
4. Bob Knight – Knight is the type of guy that you either love or hate, there really is no in-between. What do I love about his commentary during the game? It is hard to find someone who knows more about the game of basketball than Knight. He always has a strong opinion on just about everything, and he isn’t afraid to share it with the audience. The average fan can learn a lot about the game of basketball from listening to Knight.
3. Brad Nessler – Nessler covers just about every sport, and he does a very good job. It’s not just a coincidence that many video game companies choose Nessler as the voice of the commentary in their annual college basketball video game. Nessler has a perfect voice for the job, and he is always keeping viewers informed of the latest developments that will affect the game.
2. Jim Nantz – It would be hard to find a broadcaster with a more impressive background in sports. Nantz has been covering the Masters every year since the late 1980’s. He has also been the lead play-by-play announcer for CBS in both NFL and College Basketball for the last few years. Nantz always starts the broadcast off with a “Hello Friends” welcome. Nantz has proven through his years of March Madness coverage that he is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to college basketball.
1. Gus Johnson – I simply couldn’t put anyone else at the top of the list. Gus Johnson gets the audience into a college basketball game like no other broadcaster can. He is the type of announcer that I would tune in to hear even if I didn’t really care about the game itself. Johnson succeeds because he sounds as if he is constantly on the edge of his seat, and it makes viewers do the same. Johnson does his best work when buzzer-beaters come around. No one makes a viewer feel more into the game than Gus Johnson. Yes, Gus Johnson definitely gets buckets.
Sources:
CBS Sports TV Team “Jim Nantz”
Gus Johnson Gets Buckets “Gus Johnson Soundboard”
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Top Five College Football Announcers
