Legendary NBA broadcaster Mike Breen reveals favorite Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett memories

CHICAGO — ESPN broadcaster Mike Breen was confused sufficient getting the 2020 Curt Gowdy Media Award, which is presented to customers of the media who have made a significant contribution to the sport of basketball. That he could share it with this year’s Corridor of Fame finalists only made the instant that a lot extra specific.

Breen, who has been calling NBA action for approximately 3 many years, was introduced as one of the recipients of the award on Friday evening together with Michael Wilbon, Jim Gray and the “NBA on TNT” crew. But what actually touched Breen was the truth he will be regarded during Corridor of Fame enshrinement weekend in August with a team that contains Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan and the late Kobe Bryant.

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“I never just say this because it is the circumstance this 12 months,” Breen said, “but they had been often 3 of my beloved gamers.”

That suggests one thing looking at Breen has been a common voice to Knicks admirers due to the fact 1992 and the guide participate in-by-participate in gentleman on NBA Finals broadcasts due to the fact 2006.

Presented his in depth background with some of the league’s best gamers, Sporting News presented Breen with the hard obstacle of picking out his beloved memory of Bryant, Duncan and Garnett. Here’s what the 58-12 months-old had to say . . .

Kobe Bryant often ‘put that get the job done in’

When questioned about Bryant, Breen immediately went to a typical Kobe buzzer-beater.

At the conclude of Video game 4 of a 2006 playoff sequence among the Lakers and Suns, Bryant corralled a free ball, identified his spot close to the remaining elbow and drained a fadeaway jumper in entrance of two helpless defenders. Breen sent his trademark “Bang!” as the shot hit the base of the internet.

“All people in the constructing — we knew it, the Suns knew it, the admirers knew it, the refs knew it,” Breen said. “He was gonna get the ball. And yet, he still identified a way to get free and knock down the shot. I bear in mind him, the way he turned, the way he pumped that fist immediately after he hit the shot, the group likely crazy.”

Bryant’s clutch plays never came down to just chance, of study course. They had been the products of amazing skill and countless hours of follow when no one was viewing.

“It was all the get the job done that went into that shot,” Breen said. “That’s why that shot was uncomplicated for him. Since he set that get the job done in for that particular instant.”

Tim Duncan was ‘the most humble celebrity in NBA history’

Duncan led the Spurs in a a lot different way than Bryant guided the Lakers, but “The Big Basic” identified identical good results, matching Kobe with five championships.

It was not a win that caught out to Breen, nevertheless. He fondly remembers Duncan’s Video game 7 effectiveness in the 2013 NBA Finals, a 95-88 decline for San Antonio. That defeat adopted a heartbreaking Video game six in which Heat guard Ray Allen drained a hard corner 3-pointer to deliver the contest to additional time. (Duncan was not on the ground for that participate in.)

The Spurs refused to go quietly in Video game 7 driving a wonderful demonstrating from Duncan (24 factors, twelve rebounds, 4 steals and two assists), but LeBron James and the Heat in the end shut the doorway in Miami.

“They had been so deflated [immediately after Video game six],” Breen said. “Even nevertheless they shed [Video game 7], he came again and performed so effectively.”

San Antonio bounced again in 2014, finishing sixty two-20 during the common period and throttling the Heat in an NBA Finals rematch. That 4-1 sequence win gave Duncan the ultimate ring of his illustrious profession.

“He was as great a teammate as I’ve at any time noticed,” Breen said. “His humility, his workforce-very first [mentality], how tricky he performed just about every evening at the two ends. I just identified him to be the most humble celebrity in NBA background. So my admiration for him is off the charts.”

Kevin Garnett performed tricky ‘every second’

Breen couldn’t land on one Garnett sport since, effectively, just about every sport mattered to KG.

Typical period, playoffs, NBA Finals, scrimmage at the park — the matchup did not transform his work level. When it was tipoff time, Garnett locked in.

“If any individual performed 35 minutes, they did not participate in 35 Kevin Garnett minutes,” Breen said. “His 35 minutes had been different than anybody else on the ground.”

A 15-time All-Star, Garnett was identified as a lot for filling the box rating as trash-speaking his opponents. Throughout his profession, Garnett could be noticed drenched in sweat, snarling at himself and banging his head against inanimate objects — and that was in advance of the very first horn. His depth was second to none.

“I never know if I’ve at any time noticed anybody who performed as tricky just about every second they had been out there as a lot as Garnett,” Breen said.