Kevin Calabro

Kevin Paul Calabro, born on June 27, 1956, is an American sportscaster originating from Seattle, Washington. He began his broadcasting journey by calling high school basketball games in Indiana on WBDG, after graduating from Ben Davis High School in 1974. He continued his collegiate career at Butler University (1978), where he provided commentary for Butler Bulldog basketball for four years. His early professional roles included broadcasting for the Indianapolis Checkers in the Central Hockey League and covering basketball games for Purdue University and the University of Missouri. Calabro transitioned into the NBA in the 1983–84 season, serving as the play-by-play announcer for the Kansas City Kings.

Calabro joined the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1987–88 season, working alongside Bob Blackburn, the team’s original play-by-play announcer. He took over as the sole play-by-play announcer for the SuperSonics in 1992 following Blackburn’s retirement. During his tenure with the SuperSonics, Calabro reached a milestone of 1,500 games in 2006. He maintained his commitment to the team until April 2008, when he stated he would not continue if the franchise relocated, which it ultimately did to Oklahoma City. From 2016 to 2020, Calabro served as the television play-by-play voice for the Portland Trail Blazers, returning to the role for the 2021–22 season after a brief hiatus. He has also been recognized multiple times, including being named “Sportscaster of the Year” for the state of Washington in 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2006 by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association.

Beyond his team-specific roles, Calabro has contributed to national broadcasts. As of the 2015–16 season, he became the lead play-by-play announcer for NBA on ESPN Radio, providing commentary for NBA Finals games in 2007, 2014, and 2016, working with personalities such as Jack Ramsay and Hubie Brown. He has also covered the NBA Conference Finals for a decade on ESPN Radio and has been a regular contributor to TNT’s NBA broadcasts. His portfolio includes college basketball and football games for the Pac-12 Network and postseason college basketball, including NCAA tournament action, for Westwood One Sports. Additionally, Calabro lent his voice to several Microsoft games, including NBA Inside Drive, NBA Full Court Press, and NFL Fever, and was the play-by-play voice for the Sony PlayStation NBA game franchise. He was honored with the 2016 Keith Jackson Sports Media Excellence Award.