The NBA’s All-Star weekend is upon us as the biggest stars in the game descend on Salt Lake City to showcase their basketball talent, have some fun and take a break from the grind of the regular season. But the weekend shines a spotlight on more than just the best players and coaches; the NBA also selects the public-address announcers it wants representing the league on a national stage.
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This year, Denver Nuggets PA announcer Kyle Speller will be granted the opportunity to announce the Rising Stars Game on Friday and the HBCU Classic between Southern and Grambling State on Saturday (the main event will be announced by Dan Roberts of the Utah Jazz). Speller will be making his second consecutive appearance at All-Star weekend, as he was selected to announce the main event last year in Cleveland.
Speller took to Twitter after news of his selection broke: “All glory and honor belongs to the Lord! #Grateful.” Speller also cited the Bible verse Proverbs 18:16, which says, “A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.”
Can’t tell you how much of an honor it is to be selected to announce at All-Star weekend for the second year in a row! All glory and honor belongs to the Lord! #Grateful Proverbs 18:16 pic.twitter.com/k7CZ0tO25Z
— Kyle Speller (@KyleSpeller) February 7, 2023
A veteran in his 18th season, Speller was the first Black PA announcer for any of the major professional sports teams in the state of Colorado. He was also chosen to be one of the few announcers in the 2020 NBA “bubble.”
However, Speller is not just a voice artist and one of the best PA announcers in the NBA. He’s also a husband and father of three, emcee, inspirational speaker, associate pastor at Emmanuel Christian Center in Denver, and in his 16th season as the Nuggets team chaplain.
Speller was featured in the Spring 2020 edition of Sports Spectrum Magazine, for which Sports Spectrum followed him as he attended to his various game-day obligations. That night, he delivered a chapel message to players from both teams that centered on Isaiah 40:31. “I really just try to rely on the Holy Spirit,” he said, “that’s the only way I know how to do it.”
As he does for all games, he then quickly transitioned back to his position courtside to announce the game an hour later.
“It’s a privilege to have both of those roles and I don’t take it for granted,” he said. “I appreciate it, I’m grateful. As the announcer, I’m one of 30 people in the world [who are NBA announcers]. I’m like, ‘God just blessed me.’ When it’s like that, I just want to serve.”
Another way he serves is by regularly posting words of encouragement for believers on his Twitter account, where he describes himself as a “Servant of JESUS CHRIST.”
Adversity can be painful, but the Lord uses it to further His purposes and equip us to carry out His plan. What is He trying to teach you in the midst of your trials?
— Kyle Speller (@KyleSpeller) August 31, 2022
To hear Speller’s voice, tune into TNT at 9 p.m. ET on Friday for the Rising Stars Game or ESPN2 at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday for the HBCU Classic. The NBA All-Star Game will be on Sunday at 8:30 p.m. ET on TNT.
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