TORONTO, ON – Longtime NBA reporter David Aldridge and ESPN broadcaster Jay Bilas are the 2016 Curt Gowdy Media Award recipients. The two will be acknowledged for their contributions to basketball during the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement events September 8-10 in Springfield, Massachusetts.
The Curt Gowdy Media Award is named in honor of the late Curt Gowdy, a legendary sports broadcaster and former Hall of Fame Board member and President. This prestigious award is presented annually to members of the print and electronic media whose longtime efforts have made a significant contribution to the game of basketball.
David Aldridge graduated from famed basketball powerhouse DeMatha Catholic High School before earning degrees in journalism and history at American University. True to his Washington, D.C. roots, he worked as writer for the Washington Post for nine years, covering Georgetown athletics, the Washington Redskins and the Washington Bullets.
Although basketball has been Aldridge’s primary focus, Aldridge has also covered the NFL and major sporting events such as the U.S. Open, the Indianapolis 500, the World Series and the Olympics. For eight years, he reported for ESPN primarily covering the National Basketball Association and becoming one of the most well respected basketball journalists as both an NBA Insider and ESPN.com contributor during this time.
In 2004, Aldridge took on a new role as a contributor for the Philadelphia Inquirer and lead reporter for Turner Sports and TNT. As an Insider for Inside the NBA, a sideline reporter and an analyst covering all aspects of the NBA, Aldridge continues to share his unique perspectives on television and on NBA.com.
Jay Bilas’s love of basketball began at a young age, as a Top 50 high school recruit and 4-year starter with the Duke Blue Devils from 1982 to 1986. In his senior year, he led his team to the National Championship game and went on to be drafted in the NBA, followed by a brief career overseas. In 1990, he returned to Duke to serve as an assistant coach under legendary Mike Krzyzewski while earning his law degree and two National Championships.
In 1995, Bilas joined ESPN as a basketball analyst, a role in which he has flourished for more than 20 years. As a studio co-host, his commentary has been featured on a variety of programs including College GameNight, College GameDay, Saturday Primetime and SportsCenter. From 2003 to 2010, he also served as an analyst for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament on CBS.
In 2007 and 2008, Bilas was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Performance by a Studio Analyst andSports Illustrated has named him the best analyst in college basketball. His 2014 memoir, Toughness: Developing True Strength On and Off the Court details the attributes Bilas believes have contributed to the success of numerous athletes and coaches, including himself.
Previous Curt Gowdy Media Award Winners:
Year - Print/Electronic
1990 - Dick Herbert/Curt Gowdy
1991 - Dave Dorr/Marty Glickman
1992 - Sam Goldaper/Chick Hearn
1993 - Leonard Lewin/Johnny Most
1994 - Leonard Koppett/Cawood Ledford
1995 - Bob Hammel/Dick Enberg
1996 - Bob Hentzen/Billy Packer
1997 - Bob Ryan/Marv Albert
1998 - Larry Donald & Dick Weiss/Dick Vitale
1999 - Smith Barrier/Bob Costas
2000 - Dave Kindred/Hubie Brown
2001 - Curry Kirkpatrick/Dick Stockton
2002 - Jim O’Connell/Jim Nantz
2003 - Sid Hartman/Hot Rod Hundley
2004 - Phil Jasner/Max Falkenstien
2005 - Jack McCallum/Bill Campbell
2006 - Mark Heisler/Bill Raftery
2007 - Malcolm Moran/Al McCoy
2008 - David DuPree/Bob Wolff
2009 - Peter Vecsey/Doug Collins
2010 - Jackie MacMullan/Joe Tait
2011 - Alexander Wolff/Jim Durham
2012 - Sam Smith/Bill Schonely
2013 - John Feinstein/Eddie Doucette
2014 - Joe Gilmartin/John Andariese
2015 - Rich Clarkson/Woody Durham
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was invented, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level – professional, collegiate and high school, for both men and women on the global stage.
For more information:
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OR call 1-877-4-HOOPLA