Nets broadcaster Ian Eagle wins National Sportscaster of the Year award

The National Sports Media Association has named Nets broadcaster Ian Eagle the 2024 National Sportscaster of the Year, his second national NSMA award. 

Eagle, a five-time New York Sportscaster of the Year currently in his 30th NBA season calling Nets games, has provided sports coverage for CBS dating back to 1998. This serves as his 27th NFL season overall and his 17th calling NFL Thursday night action for Westwood One, in addition to his roles with the YES Network, TNT and TBS, among others.

The Miami native and Syracuse University graduate became the NCAA men’s basketball lead play-by-play voice in 2023 and called his first national title game for CBS last April. 

In 1994, Eagle was already the Nets’ radio play-by-play voice at 25 years old before quickly transitioning to a television role the following year. By 1997, he was the New York Jets’ radio play-by-play voice at WFAN as well, where he originally began his professional career as a producer in 1990 and debuted as a host in 1992. Eagle went on to join the NFL on CBS in 1998 and has since become one of the most respected and successful sportscasters in the nation.

Through his 30 seasons as an announcer for the Nets, Eagle has spent the last 29 on television and 22 of those on the YES Network, one of the most-watched regional sports networks since its inception in 2002. 

The Bob Costas Award winner at Syracuse was later inducted into the student-run radio station WAER-FM Hall of Fame in August 2013. Eagle also received New York’s Sportscaster of the Year award via NSMA in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018 prior to the association giving him his first nod for the national honor in 2022.

In large part due to his professionalism, creativity and iconic expressions like "That’s a man’s jam” and “Razzle dazzle,” Eagle is a fan favorite among millions in Nets World. Brooklyn guard Cam Thomas once memorably asked the New York Emmy Award-winning announcer, in a pre-recorded video aired during the Nets-Celtics matchup on Nov. 13, how he comes up with his unrivaled metaphors. 

Eagle hilariously compared his craft to Thomas’ in the best way he could relate. 

“Cam has to get in the lab to work on his offensive moves,” Eagle answered. “I get in the lab for metaphors. I get down and dirty. I’m trying things out in the mirror. I’m working phrases, word play, and then when Cam gets to cook, I get to cook.”

Next, the question was raised: if Cam works in the gym, where exactly can Ian’s metaphor lab be found?

“The shower,” Eagle shamelessly admitted. “That’s where I work on the metaphors.”

Through one of the more apparent tanks in the NBA, Eagle continuously applies his endless humor and wit to entertaining viewers across the globe, all honors more than earned.