It was announced this week that Craig Sager will be honored with the Jimmy V. Award For Perseverance at this year’s ESPY Awards. Sager, a beloved longtime sideline reporter for TNT, has been battling leukemia on and off for several years.
Despite his most recent prognosis being dim, Sager has continued to work the sidelines in typical fantastic fashion throughout the NBA playoffs. Before Tuesday’s Game 4 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors, Sager responded to the news that he would receive the Jimmy V. Award this summer.
Sager talked about what the award — and Jim Valvano, personally — mean to him and how Jimmy V’s famous ESPYs speech from more than two decades ago still has a profound impact on his battle with cancer.
“What I’m doing is fighting. I refuse to give in, I refuse to give up. Jimmy V of course had the famous speech on March 3rd, 1993, I believe. I always have it in my phone to draw inspiration from. He said don’t give up, don’t ever give up. It’s been helpful to me.”
It’s clear that Sager is extremely grateful to receive the award and serve as a source of inspiration like others before him have helped in his journey. His message was that the award is less about him and more about what he represents as he continues to live his life and fight every day.
With such an inspirational and moving initial reaction to the news, is there any doubt that Sager’s speech in July will be anything less than extraordinary?
