Veteran ESPN basketball analyst Jay Bilas has been named a recipient of the 2016 Curt Gowdy Media Award for his significant contribution to the game of basketball as a member of the electronic media.
The award will be given during the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement events September 8-10 in Springfield, Massachusetts. Bilas is joined by David Aldridge (print media), a longtime NBA writer.
“I am honored beyond words,” said Bilas.” I am so grateful to be the recipient of such a prestigious award, and when I look at the list of Gowdy Award honorees, I cannot help but feel unworthy. My sincere thanks to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame for this wonderful honor.”
The Curt Gowdy Media Award is named in honor of the late Curt Gowdy, a legendary sports broadcaster and former Hall of Fame Board member and President. This prestigious award is presented annually to members of the print and electronic media, whose longtime efforts have made a significant contribution to the game of basketball.
“Jay is as well-rounded of an analyst as there is in the business,” said Lee Fitting, ESPN, Sr. Coordinating Producer. “He educates, analyzes, entertains and engages the fan every time he is on the air. He joins a very prestigious group and is well deserving of this award.”
Bilas, known for an extensive knowledge of men’s basketball and his insightful analysis about the sports landscape, is a staple on ESPN’s game and studio coverage, calls the top men’s college basketball games involving the nation’s marquee teams and conferences and is present at the Men’s Final Four through studio coverage, as well as game telecasts on ESPN International. His Saturday schedule includes analyst duties on ESPN’s Saturday Primetime Presented by DIRECTV game, in addition to his role on the popular Saturday morning and evening college basketball program, College GameDay Covered by State Farm.
Bilas also contributes to several ESPN platforms, including ESPN.com and SportsCenter, and he is an integral part of ESPN’s coverage of the NBA Draft, where he has been providing in-depth player scouting and analysis since 2003.
Bilas joined ESPN in the 1994-95 college basketball season as a game and studio color commentator, and signed a contract extension in October 2014, that keeps him at the 24-hour sports network through 2022-2023.
In 2007 and 2008, Bilas was nominated for an Emmy as Outstanding Studio Personality, and in 2008 Bilas was honored by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) for the Best Column of the Year. Sports Illustrated has twice named Bilas the best analyst in college basketball.
Previous Curt Gowdy Media Award winners with ESPN ties are current analysts Dick Vitale (1998); Hubie Brown (2000) and Doug Collins (2009), along with former analysts Bill Raftery (2006) and Jim Durham (2011).