Mark Jones has been with ESPN since 1990, and his 32-year career with the network is going to continue. The broadcaster has agreed to a multi-year contract extension with ESPN, which was announced on Friday.
Jones is one of ESPN’s top play-by-play voices on the NBA and college football. He’s served in a variety of roles during his long career at the network, including anchoring NBA studio programming and SportsCenter, hosting NBA All-Star and NBA Draft coverage, and calling play-by-play on men’s and women’s college basketball, in addition to the WNBA.
“Mark Jones’s love for — and commitment to — the NBA and our presentation of the league is exceptional,” said Tim Corrigan, ESPN vice president of production, in a statement. “His ability to cover the game, measure the moment, and share valuable, memorable notes about the teams, the players, and the game defines his style.”
Jones will be on the call this Sunday (March 13) for ABC’s broadcast of the New York Knicks at the Brooklyn Nets, with analyst Doris Burke (who also just signed an extension with the network) and reporter Malika Andrews.
Previously, Jones has also called track and field, gymnastics, and speed skating for ESPN and ABC’s Wide World of Sports.
Jones is also currently the TV play-by-play voice on Sacramento Kings game telecasts for NBC Sports California, now finishing up his second season with the team.
“This is where I want to be,” Jones said in ESPN’s official announcement. “I’m absolutely thrilled to continue this unimaginable journey through sports at ESPN with the most talented people in the industry.
“I think about walking into the NBA Today and SportsCenter studios in 1990 with a chance to document the Michael Jordan-era Chicago Bulls, and almost 32 years later I’m covering another all-time legend in LeBron James. I’m elated by the opportunities I’ve had. I’ve even interviewed our first Black President Barack Obama.”
Jones also expressed gratitude to ESPN for allowing him to call one of his daughter’s basketball games with San Jose State last month.
Prior to joining ESPN/ABC, Jones worked at TSN in Toronto, where he anchored studio coverage and highlight programs, in addition to a weekly show featuring the Toronto Blue Jays. His brother, Paul, still works in Canada as the radio play-by-play announcer for the Toronto Raptors.
Ian Casselberry is a sports media columnist for BSM. He has previously written and edited for Awful Announcing, The Comeback, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, MLive, Bleacher Report, and SB Nation. You can find him on Twitter @iancass or reach him by email at iancass@gmail.com.
