Whether it be Sacramento Kings fans or fellow NBA reporters, Kyle Draper has found community in his sobriety journey as a play-by-play man calling games for AM 114o in Sacramento and hosting studio coverage on NBC Sports California.
Considering the grind of the NBA schedule was in part what led Draper down his path toward addiction, he recently told The Athletic he was relieved at how much his life changes have been embraced by the basketball community over his seven years of sobriety.
“That’s the gratitude and celebration that I get,” Draper told Jason Jones of The Athletic of a recent connection with a Kings fan in her 20s who quit drinking cold turkey in part inspired by him. “Hearing from people, knowing that, you know, I touched their lives in a way.”
Whether it be at gatherings like the National Association of Black Journalists annual conference or postgame hangouts among Kings media in downtown Sacramento, Draper often found social anxiety driving him toward a drink. But when colleagues like Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe and others embraced Draper’s sobriety, it made the change that much easier for him.
“I used to always hate hanging out with sober people because sober people would remember everything from the night before,” Draper told The Athletic. “Now I realize I’m that sober guy.”
Today, Draper drinks nonalcoholic beverages and has had friends switch to the same selections when they are out with him.
Last year, Draper told Awful Announcing it took the step back from drinking to realize just how big an issue it was in his life.
“I never thought I was an alcoholic until I stopped drinking,” Draper told AA’s Michael Grant. “I realized how much alcohol impacted my life. Who I hung out with and who I was friends with. I had social anxiety. When I’m at a bar or a party, I feel like all eyes are on me. I always felt like I needed a drink in my hand. So, I would drink a lot. I was only a social drinker. I rarely drank at home.”
Draper celebrated seven years sober earlier in March, and is set to call Kings playoff games again this spring.
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.