Celebrated ESPN anchor Stuart Scott would have been 60 years old this year, and his former colleagues continue to mourn not only losing a friend and entertainer but someone who would have continued impacting sports to this day.
Speaking this week on The Rich Eisen Show, longtime ESPNer Hannah Storm looked back on Scott’s life and legacy. Beyond his signature catchphrases, Storm reminded the sports world of Scott’s authenticity and selflessness.
“He really lived life without thinking about what was coming down the road,” Storm said. “Obviously, his broadcast legacy is unparalleled and singular. He allowed people to be themselves. He was unabashedly himself in every sense of the word. He was genuine, he was true, he was 100 percent authentic … and it takes courage to do that. And that courage that he had intrinsically manifested itself in his battle with cancer.”
Jan. 4 marked the 10-year anniversary of Scott’s passing from appendiceal cancer. As an anchor, Scott’s pop culture references, slang and passion influenced everyone from Michael Wilbon to Scott Van Pelt to Jemele Hill.
In an era today in which executives are constantly searching for talent that can break through online, Scott would have been a natural.
“It wasn’t about him,” Storm said. “He would say stuff that was uniquely him, but it wasn’t about him. He would say it in his way, and of course today, he would have gone viral on top of viral on top of viral. But it was always about the thing, and the event, and how much joy he took from whatever he was seeing.”
Storm alternated with Scott as an NBA host in the late 2000s and early 2010s, while Eisen cohosted SportsCenter with him. Eisen noted that he still thinks of Scott when he sees incredible sports stories, such as Bill Belichick coaching North Carolina, Victor Wembanyama dominating the NBA, or the Kansas City Chiefs going for a three-peat.
Even a decade later, Scott’s impact on the industry and those with whom he crossed paths at ESPN is as bright as ever.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.