“Yes!” Marv Albert retires but the Syracuse legend’s calls will live on

Think of NBA legends from Syracuse University and the likely first names that come to mind are Dave Bing and Carmelo Anthony. But Marv Albert, the legendary voice of the NBA who retired after this 2020-21 season at age 80, belongs in that pantheon.

Albert, an alumnus of the famed Syracuse University Newhouse Sports Media Center, provided the soundtrack for the NBA through several eras, as both the New York Knicks and the NBA on NBC and TNT play-by-play announcer.

Albert officially called his last game a few weeks ago after working the Eastern Conference Finals with Reggie Miller for TNT, and the network gave him a proper sendoff for his contributions to the game. Indeed, Marv was recognized by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame back in 1997.
Marv was also great on hockey (New York Rangers) and the NFL, but it’s basketball and his varying calls of “Yes!” for drained hoops that was his calling card.

Syracuse alum Marv Albert has retired after a storied broadcasting career.

My two favorite Marv Albert calls:

1) Everyone has watched and re-watched a million times, Michael Jordan’s 1991 NBA Finals Game 2 layup when he switched hands in midair vs. the Lakers. The iconic shot is only at it’s optimum in excitement when paired with Marv’s live call of, “Oh! A spectacular move by Michael Jordan!” Albert goes on to say it was Jordan’s 13th consecutive field goal, which illustrated how the move was an exclamation point on his greatness. If you weren’t watching the NBA Finals that night, I can’t really explain how incredible the moment was. It was Jordan’s first Finals after years of coming up short despite his growing legend as the most exciting scorer ever, and now that he was on the grandest stage, here he was dominating the Lakers, making basket after basket, punctuated by that last ridiculous (maybe even unnecessary) move. It put Jordan over basketball, over sports, over everything, into super duper stardom. STILL, without Marv’s voice behind it, it wouldn’t have been as indelible a moment in the history of sports.

2) Before the 1970 NBA Finals Game 7 between the Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers, league MVP Willis Reed of the Knicks had injured his thigh and was unlikely to play. But just before warm-ups in the remodeled Madison Square Garden, Reed emerged from the tunnel. Marv’s young but unmistakable voice over the image said, “Here comes Willis. And the crowd is going wild.” Listening to it 50+ years later still delivers goosebumps on every YouTube re-watch.

You just knew Marv loved the game, loved the moments. Albert didn’t overwhelm those moments, he accentuated them and made them even better.

But even above his work calling games, who could forget Albert’s many appearances beginning in the 1980s on Late Night with David Letterman, with the, “Wild and the Wacky,” from the world of sports, produced by Marv’s “crack staff.”  Albert’s comic timing and voice, coupled with Letterman’s reactions to collections of great plays and sports bloopers, was gold. Late Night show writer and regular Chris Elliott’s recurring character impersonation of Marv’s Letterman appearances were beyond hilarious and added to the legend. During your next bout with insomnia, search Marv Albert and Letterman on YouTube and thank me later.

I had my own, “Brush with Greatness,” as the Letterman show would say, with Marv at the Milwaukee airport a couple years ago. He was flying home from a Bucks game, and I couldn’t resist approaching him to say I was from Syracuse and to thank him for the years of entertainment and to acknowledge how great he was at his craft.

He was very gracious, perked up when I referenced Syracuse, and we had a nice conversation. Marv stands just 5-foot-6, but it felt like talking to a giant.

His voice will be missed, but will live on in highlights.

“From downtown!”

“Yes, and the foul.”

As Syracuse fans, we all take pride in the great voices to come from the Newhouse School, from Bob Costas to Mike Tirico, from Sean McDonough to Ian Eagle. And as that great Syracuse tradition grows, many were inspired to attend Syracuse because Marv did.

Upon his retirement, Albert told NBA.com that he’d been, “Very fortunate,” for his career. I think we all agree as fans, we were fortunate to have him.