Jim Spanarkel Explained

Jim Spanarkel
Height Ft:6
Height In:5
Weight Lb:190
Birth Date:28 June 1957
Birth Place:Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
High School:Hudson Catholic
(Jersey City, New Jersey)
College:Duke (1975–1979)
Draft Year:1979
Draft Round:1
Draft Pick:16
Draft Team:Philadelphia 76ers
Career Start:1979
Career End:1984
Career Number:34, 33
Career Position:Shooting guard / small forward
Team1:Philadelphia 76ers
Years2:–
Team2:Dallas Mavericks
Highlights:
Stats League:NBA
Stat1label:Points
Stat1value:2,505 (9.7 ppg)
Stat2label:Rebounds
Stat2value:652 (2.5 rpg)
Stat3label:Assists
Stat3value:572 (2.2 apg)

James Gerard Spanarkel (born June 28, 1957) is an American television analyst for College Basketball on CBS and a former professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers and the Dallas Mavericks. He played college basketball for Duke University, where he was an All-American.

Career

High school

Born and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey, Spanarkel played at Hudson Catholic Regional High School,[1] where he was a teammate of future NBA player Mike O'Koren.

College and professional basketball

Spanarkel was a First Team Acclaim All American, in addition the First Team All-ACC and the first 2000-point scorer in Duke Blue Devils history. He was named Duke's team MVP for his final three seasons, 1977, 1978, and 1979. Spanarkel was also team captain in his junior and senior years, and was announced NCAA's East Regional Most Outstanding Player in 1978. Duke finished as the national runner-up that year to Kentucky.[2] At Duke, Spanarkel was also a pitcher on the baseball team for two years.[3] He graduated from university in 1979, and during the summer of 1980, he studied for and obtained a real estate broker's license.

The Philadelphia 76ers drafted Spanarkel with the 16th overall pick in the 1979 NBA draft on October 17, and he spent his first season as a rookie, the 1979–80 campaign, with the Sixers. He was then drafted by the Dallas Mavericks and played the following four seasons with them, leading the club in scoring for the 1980–81 season with a 14.4 ppg average.[4] His NBA career ended in 1984, after a season during which a broken right wrist cost him three months on the bench.[5]

American broadcaster

Spanarkel worked 30 years as Nets television analyst (currently on the YES Network), both with Ian Eagle courtside as a color commentator and more recently as a studio host during pre and post-game.[6] [7] Spanarkel was terminated by YES prior to the 2020–21 season.[8] Currently, he works CBS Sports' regular season and postseason coverage with Eagle. He previously was as a studio analyst for NBA TV. During his entire broadcasting career, he has provided basketball coverage on CBS Sports, ESPN, Fox Sports, and YES. In 2013, Spanarkel called the international telecasts of the 2013 NBA Finals alongside Eagle. He has also been chief commentator for the Travers Cups and various member guest tournaments at Upper Montclair.

Personal life

Spanarkel is married to Janet, and the couple has four children, James, Bridget, Stephanie, and Andrew.[9] He is currently a First Vice President and a certified financial planner at Merrill Lynch in New Jersey.

Spanarkel has been a resident of Rutherford, New Jersey.[10]

Honors

External links

Notes and References

  1. Hague, Jim. "Open the doors of the NJSIAA Hall Jersey City legend Spanarkel heads three Hudson greats into the NJSIAA Hall of Fame", The Hudson Reporter, December 13, 2018. Accessed October 20, 2019. "When Jim Spanarkel was playing a multitude of sports while growing up on Jersey City’s West Side, he never thought he was creating a legacy of greatness never before seen in Hudson Catholic Regional High School’s history."
  2. Web site: Nets:Broadcasters. NBA.com. November 7, 2006. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20061031111630/http://www.nba.com/nets/game_night_experience/broadcasterbios_011011.html. October 31, 2006.
  3. Web site: Duke Magazine | Duke.
  4. https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/DAL/1981.html 1980-81 Dallas Mavericks Roster and Stats
  5. Web site: CBS' Jim Spanarkel looks back happily on days with original Mavs, even the time a tiger was brought to the locker room. 2017-03-24. Dallas News. en. 2019-12-17.
  6. Web site: Income . Net . 2020-11-13 . After 30 years, Jim Spanarkel's days as Nets analyst are over . 2022-03-28 . NetsDaily . en.
  7. News: Wolfley . Bob . CBS Sports' Ian Eagle, Jim Spanarkel run enduring two-man NCAA Tournament weave . 27 October 2022 . . March 20, 2013 . en.
  8. Web site: 2020-11-13 . YES dumping informative Jim Spanarkel shows sad state of TV sports . 2022-03-28 . New York Post . en-US.
  9. Web site: NBA.com NBA TV Talent:Jim Spanarkel. NBA.com. November 7, 2006.
  10. Tufaro, Greg; McGurk, Tom; Falk, Steven; Havsy, Jane; Newman, Josh; Stapleton, Art. From the field to the booth: These New Jersey athletes became sports broadcasters", The Record (Bergen County), October 18, 2019. Accessed October 20, 2019. "Jim Spanarkel... Now living in Rutherford, he is a Brooklyn Nets announcer, and a college basketball announcer for SNY and CBS. He also works the NCAA Tournament."
  11. Web site: Duke Sports Hall of Fame. November 7, 2006.
  12. Web site: Duke Circle of Honor. November 7, 2006.
  13. Web site: UPI First Team All-America. November 7, 2006.
  14. Web site: All ACC Team. November 7, 2006.
  15. Web site: MVP of ALL-ACC Tournament Teams. November 7, 2006.
  16. Web site: ACC Rookie of the Year. November 7, 2006.
  17. Web site: NCAA East Regional MOP. November 7, 2006.
  18. Web site: All NCAA Tournament. November 7, 2006.
  19. Web site: GTE Academic All-Americans. November 7, 2006.
  20. Web site: Duke Team Captains. November 7, 2006.
  21. Web site: Swett Memorial Trophy. November 7, 2006.
  22. Web site: Breen, Spanarkel, Maher win Emmys. April 4, 2014.

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