As you watched CBS’ March Madness coverage of the NCAA Tournament over the past few weeks, you’ve seen and heard from Clark Kellogg in the studio with Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith.
Kellogg, 57, was named Mr. Ohio Basketball in 1979 and earned a college scholarship to Ohio State University, where he played from 1979-82. He was selected eighth overall in the first round of the 1982 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers, and he was named to the NBA All-Rookie first team in 1983. However, his pro career was cut short when chronic knee problems forced the 6-foot-8 forward to retire from the game in 1986 at the age of 25.
After a broadcasting career that began in 1990 with ESPN, Kellogg joined CBS in 1993 and has been there ever since. He is one of the most respected college basketball analysts in the country.
Basketball consumed Kellogg for many years, but it wasn’t until his third NBA season that a greater purpose started to enter into Clark’s life.
“In late 1985, however, my life completely changed,” Kellogg told FCA in 2016. “Through a local ministry’s chapel program with the Pacers, I began to realize that there was more to life than basketball. I was hurt at the time and had just undergone the second of what would be three knee surgeries. At that point, I didn’t know these injuries would ultimately end my career, but they had shaken my world enough to raise my antenna to who God was and what He might have to say about how I lived. Rosy (my wife) walked through this time with me, and we both sensed in our spirits that we needed to seek out answers to our questions about God.”
After making the decision to dive deeper into God’s Word, Kellogg made the ultimate decision in November 1986, when he decided to make Christ Lord of his life.
Between his job at CBS, his foundation and being a husband, dad and grandfather, Kellogg knows that his faith remains at the core of who he is, and whatever he does, wherever he goes, Jesus is with him.
“No matter what role I embrace, however, my faith remains my foundation,” Kellogg told FCA. “Christ is my all and the driver of my life. He permeates my very being and impacts everything I do. Through prayer, patience and asking Him to work through me, I realize I’m always an ambassador for Him. Whether I’m broadcasting, being a husband and father, mentoring our guys, or interacting with my colleagues, that’s who I am. I’m a Christ-follower and all that I think, do and say is influenced by that. I’m a representative of Christ, and I have the living Christ alive in me through God’s grace. That will always flow out of me as I stay close to Him.”
Kellogg’s basketball career is now in its fifth decade and he’ll always be known to the world as a basketball guy. But away from the game, he wants to put his faith into action and serve by bringing the love of Christ to others.
“Coming to know Christ is something I’m always involved in, either directly or indirectly, and usually through the platform of sports,” he told ‘Unpackin it’ in 2016. “Athletes in Action and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes are both sports ministries that my wife and I have supported on multiple levels — using the platform of sports to bring people into the saving knowledge of faith in Christ. Also, Big Brothers, Big Sisters is something we’ve tried to support either with our presence or resources — giving kids an opportunity to be their best. Sometimes it requires having adult friends and companionship with adults that care about them, so Big Brothers, Big Sisters … anything empowering people through education, particularly underserved communities. Any time we can lend our support to efforts that are about transforming lives through faith, changing lives through education, and positively influencing lives of young people through mentorship, those are some of the things that we try to give ourselves to.”
Virgin born..Savior..Lord..Loves the world..Way, Truth and Life..Creator-Sustainer of life..Jesus, the same yesterday, today, and forever.
— Clark Kellogg (@ClarkKelloggCBS) March 11, 2018
RELATED STORIES:
— Auburn, head coach Bruce Pearl ‘put the Lord first’ as team competes in NCAA Tournament
– Virginia head coach Tony Bennett finds peace and perspective in his faith in Christ
– Nate Oats leaves Buffalo to take over as head men’s basketball coach at Alabama
– Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes named National Coach of the Year by USBWA
