Turner Sports’ Craig Sager vows to return for 2015–16 NBA season

Turner Sports sideline reporter Craig Sager vows to return for the 2015–16 NBA season after undergoing chemotherapy.

Turner Sports sideline reporter Craig Sager vows to return for the 2015–16 NBA season after undergoing chemotherapy this summer.

Sager, who was originally diagnosed with leukemia in April 2014, was admitted to Houston's M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in May after his cancer returned.

Sager, 64, underwent a successful bone marrow transplant on July 17.

He has since lost his hair and shed 50 pounds due to chemotherapy, but is recovering optimistically. 

Sager not only expects to return to regular NBA coverage once the season begins in October, but he also anticipates making the trip to Rio to cover the 2016 Summer Games.

“I said, ‘The NBA season starts Oct. 27, what are my chances?’ He goes, ‘Oh they’re good!'” Sager recalled from a conversation with his doctor. “I said one more, ‘What about the Olympics next summer in Rio?’ He said, ‘No brainer! I said yes! Yes!'”

• Players react to Sager’s return last season | SI’s Top 100 Players of 2016

Sager missed the 2014 NBA Playoffs, part of the 2014–2015 regular season, the 2015 NCAA Men's Division I Tournament and the 2015 NBA Playoffs due to the cancer.

Sager, known as “America's sideline reporter,” has been in sports broadcasting since 1972.

- Kayla Lombardo