Mike Breen has been widely regarded as one of the best play-by-play analysts in the business. But on Thursday, Breen outlined how early on in his career, he wasn’t always the biggest fan of his now-famous “Bang” call after big shots that get the crowd going.
During an appearance on The Roommates Show hosted by Knicks stars Jalen Bruson and Josh Hart, Breen outlined how he first started his patented call as a way to cheer as a student during Fordham University basketball games, later trying it when he started doing radio broadcasts of Fordham basketball games.
“When I was a student at Fordham, we were all part of the Fordham radio station. When we would go to games we weren’t broadcasting, about ten of us would sit in the stands because we love our school. Like your Villanova fans as I know very well from my home with my wife and daughter being Villanova grads. So when a Fordham player hit a big shot, that’s what I would yell as a fan. I don’t know why it started but I started doing it. Then I figured okay, I’m doing some games as a student broadcaster, maybe I will do that on a big shot.”
Despite the fact that the call is universally loved by most basketball fans now, Breen felt that it didn’t have the effect he was hoping for until he started calling high school basketball games on TV.
“The thing was that I thought that it didn’t work. I used it a few times and I was like ‘Ah, this doesn’t work.’ And I stopped using it. Then I started doing TV after I graduated from college. I did this high school game of the week package on fright nights in these van box gyms where you couldn’t hear yourself. And I don’t have that baritone voice to rise above a screaming crowd.
“So on a big shot at the end, I wanted to have a concise call. You know, shot goes in and the crowd goes crazy. And for me to try and yell over the crowd is hard. So I just used that one-syllable word and I liked the way it sounded in those high school games. So I started using it there. I only use it when the crowd is going crazy to try and overcome that. Most of the time it is for the home team. When a guy hits a big shot on the road, the crowd is pretty quiet so you don’t need it as much. Although when I do Knick telecasts, it doesn’t matter if it is home or road. One of you guys hits a big three and I’ll do it.”
Mike Breen on how “BANG” started:
“When I was a student at Fordham… we’d go and sit in the stands… when a Fordham player hit a big shot, that’s what I would yell as a fan… as a broadcaster, maybe I’ll do that on a big shot.”
(via @Roommates__Show) pic.twitter.com/15I4Tcm0o7
— KnicksMuse (@KnicksMuse) February 6, 2025
Ultimately, Breen’s decision to stick with the “Bang” call has aged quite well, as it has accompanied some of the most memorable moments in recent NBA history.
