Gary Gerould will replace Grant Napear as Kings’ interim TV play-by-play announcer
The Kings announced Thursday longtime radio voice Gary Gerould will replace Grant Napear as the team’s interim play-by-play announcer when NBA play resumes later this summer.
Gerould, affectionately known around the league as “The G-Man,” is in his 35th season with the Kings. He has called 2,769 games for the team’s flagship radio station, Sports 1140 KHTK. He also served as the team’s television play-by-play announcer for four seasons from 1994-98. Gerould, 79, will work alongside color commentator Doug Christie during broadcasts on NBC Sports California.
“I’m so pleased to have this opportunity and excited to be alongside Doug to call the team’s return to the court in Orlando,” Gerould said in a news release. “It is an absolute joy to return to the game I love and welcome the challenge of once again calling Kings game action on TV. I am grateful to the organization for entrusting me to resume the season and deeply appreciative to all the Kings fans for their tremendous support over the years.”
The Kings said they will conduct a formal search in the coming months in hopes of finding a new television play-by-play announcer to begin the 2020-21 season.
Jason Ross, currently the pregame, halftime and postgame host on Kings Radio, will take over play-by-play duties on the team’s radio broadcasts. Ross has been part of Kings radio broadcasts for 25 years and also serves as sports director at KHTK, where he has worked in various roles since 1994.
“I am so excited about this opportunity provided by the Sacramento Kings and really look forward to calling the restart of this unprecedented season,” Ross said. “I am also thrilled to see the pairing of the G-Man with Doug Christie on TV. Having worked with Gary for 25 seasons, who has been a mentor and a role model, I accept the challenge of filling his big shoes.”
Napear was the longtime Kings play-by-play announcer and a popular Sacramento radio host, but he lost both jobs earlier this month after a social media storm led to accusations of racial insensitivity. Sports 1140 KHTK and the Kings issued announcements stating they had parted ways with Napear, 60, who had worked in television and radio in Sacramento since 1988.
Napear was embroiled in controversy after former Kings star DeMarcus Cousins prodded him for his thoughts on the Black Lives Matter movement during a Twitter exchange. The controversy grew when a Twitter exchange between Napear and Cousins led to responses from hundreds of other social media users, including former Kings players Chris Webber and Matt Barnes. Amid a weekend of unrest across the United States following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Cousins asked Napear for his opinion of Black Lives Matter.
Napear responded: “Hey!!!! How are you? Thought you forgot about me. Haven’t heard from you in years. ALL LIVES MATTER. … EVERY SINGLE ONE!!!”
Cousins, Webber and Barnes were seemingly not surprised Napear would assert that “all lives matter,” a phrase commonly perceived as dismissive to the Black Lives Matter movement.
The Kings had little time to find a replacement for Napear before NBA play is expected to resume July 30 at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, about 20 miles outside of Orlando. Instead, they turned to a trusted friend with a golden voice.
“G-Man is a true legend and has been the ‘Voice of the Kings’ on both radio and TV from the day the team arrived in Sacramento in 1985, so it is natural for him to assume this role through the rest of the season,” Kings President of Business Operations John Rinehart said. “I stand with Kings fans around the world, players past and present and all associated with this franchise, in saying we have had the distinct honor of enjoying Gary’s trademark style and signature calls since this team began calling the Capital City home. We are also excited to have Jason fill in for G-Man on radio, and look forward to his energy, excitement and deep knowledge of the team as we take the court in Orlando.”
Gerould began his broadcasting career as a teenager in Michigan. He took a radio job in Chico in 1963 after attending college in Indiana and made his way to Sacramento in 1965 as a sports reporter for KCRA. Gerould covered the NFL and the Olympics for NBC in the 1980s and reported on motorsports for ABC and ESPN for 37 years, covering events such as the Indy 500.
“Gary Gerould is one of the most accomplished and respected play-by-play announcers in the NBA, and his decades-long association with the Sacramento Kings has given him an unsurpassed connection with the team and the community,” said Matt Murphy, senior vice president and general manager of NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California. “We are thrilled to welcome G-Man to NBC Sports California and look forward to him sharing his passion for the game with our viewers.”
This story was originally published June 25, 2020 at 1:01 PM.
