RIP Craig Sager: Basketball world mourns an NBA fan favorite

Beloved NBA broadcaster Craig Sager has died after a prolonged battle with leukemia, Turner Sports announced Thursday. He was 65 years old.

The basketball world immediately reacted with heartbreak over the loss of a reporter who became treasured by players and fans alike for his ostentatious suits, sideline interviews and easy-going personality.

Turner president Dave Levy announced Sager's passing Thursday afternoon.

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The universal admiration Sager drew across the sports universe was reflected by NBA players, reporters and fans who subsequently mourned his death with posts of their own.

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A particularly touching tribute came from Sager's son, Craig Sager II, who shared this video montage.

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Sager was best-known as an NBA reporter, but his journalism credentials went deeper than some fans perhaps realized. When Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's home run record in 1974, Sager sprinted onto the field to interview Aaron as he triumphantly rounded the bases.

He fell ill before working an NBA game in Dallas in April 2014; subsequent tests led to a diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia. The day Sager's diagnosis was announced by his son, Sager's name was mentioned on Twitter 24,000 times, yet again underscoring his esteem and appeal.

By October 2015, Sager was still undergoing treatment but ready to get back to work doing sidelines interviews for NBA gams on TNT.

"Oh, it feels terrific," Sager told Mashable at the time. "Just being there. I'm one of those who always wanted to be at events and never liked being in the studio. I missed being there — not only my colleagues and the players, but the fans too."

In March of this year, however, Sager told HBO Sports that his leukemia was no longer in remission.

The Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame announced Sager as a 2016 inductee this Wednesday. Less than 24 hours later, Turner announced his passing.

At the ESPY Awards in July, Sager gave a moving speech about his cancer and outlook on life. It's well worth watching again now.

Tributes poured in from around the basketball world, which lost a treasured and unforgettable member on Thursday afternoon.

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Rest in peace, Craig Sager. The NBA just won't be the same without you.