John Andariese
| John Andariese | |
|---|---|
| Born |
August 19, 1938 Brooklyn, New York, US |
| Other names | "Johnny Hoops" |
| Occupation | Sports commentator/analyst, TV sports show host, athlete |
| Years active | 1956–2012 |
John Andariese a.k.a. "Johnny Hoops" {born August 19, 1938 in Brooklyn, New York} is a former color commentator for the New York Knicks[1] and NBA TV and a former college basketball player. He also hosted NBA Legends with Johnny Hoops on NBA TV.
Playing career
Andariese played college basketball for coach Johnny Bach's Fordham Rams from 1956–1960. Andariese went to two National Invitational Tournaments and was the team captain during his senior year.
Broadcasting career
Andariese's broadcasting career began as the Knicks radio analyst for the 1972–73 season, teamed with Marv Albert, who had been calling the play-by play since 1967. He would later broadcast Knicks games on radio for 1976–77 season and again from 1982–86.
National work
In 1983, Andariese became the first color commentator for the NBA on ESPN. When ESPN lost its NBA contract, he joined the NBA on TBS, where he broadcast games nationally from 1984–86. He was part of TBS' coverage of the 1985 and 1986 NBA Eastern Conference Finals with Skip Caray. Andariese also spent ten years as a college basketball analyst for NBC Sports.
Return to the Knicks' broadcasting team
Andariese rejoined the Knicks' broadcasting team in 1986 as the team's analyst on the MSG Network. He remained on the Knicks television broadcasts until 1998, when he was replaced by radio analyst Walt Frazier. This allowed Andariese to reunite with former partner Marv Albert on the team's radio broadcasts. Andariese worked alongside Gus Johnson. For the 2010–11 season, he began working with Mike Crispino. He retired in 2012.