PORTLAND, Ore. -- The man best known as the voice of the Seattle Supersonics will take over as the Portland Trail Blazers' new play-by-play announcer on television broadcasts.
Kevin Calabro was hired by the Trail Blazers to replace Mike Barrett, who was let go by the Trail Blazers this week after 13 years calling games for Portland.
Longtime color analyst Mike Rice was also let go by the Trail Blazers this week. Trail Blazers President and CEO Chris McGowan said the national search for Rice's replacement is ongoing.
Calabro is known for his commanding voice and strong understanding of the game. The following video is an example of his work while with the Sonics.
Calabro, who turns 60 later this month, was a television and radio announcer for the Seattle Supersonics from 1987 to 2008, when the franchise relocated to Oklahoma City. Calabro opted against moving with the team to Oklahoma City.
If Blazers fans are nervous about the television voice of the team's former rival switching sides, Calabro told Casey Holdahl of forwardcenter.net that Blazers fans have nothing to worry about.
“People shouldn’t have any misgivings about me being a Sonics guy coming down there,” Calabro said. “The Sonics have moved on, I’ve moved on, it’s a new chapter and I’m excited to get going.”
Reaction to the hiring on social media has been primarily positive.
Signing #KevinCalabro away from ESPN to become @trailblazers TV voice is equivalent in broadcast world of signing an elite NBA FA player.
— SportsBusinessRadio (@SBRadio) June 17, 2016
Despite the backlash the Blazers have taken for parting ways with their broadcast team, Kevin Calabro is a dynamite hire.
— Jason Barrett (@sportsradiopd) June 17, 2016
Since 2008, Calabro has called games on television and radio for the NBA, college football and basketball and Major League Soccer. Currently, Calabro is calling NBA games for ESPN Radio, including the NBA Finals. He has called Finals games in 2007, 2014 and this season.
McGowan said the Blazers are getting a top-flight talent in Calabro.
"It's not often you get the chance to add someone of Kevin's talent level to an organization," McGowan said in a statement. "Kevin won't be a stranger to Trail Blazers fans thanks to his deep roots in the Pacific Northwest, and his impressive career as a national broadcast voice for NBA and NCAA basketball."
Calabro is a winner of the 2016 Keith Jackson Western Sports Star of the Year award and was honored as Sportscaster of the Year for the state of Washington in 1997, 2000-2003 and 2006.