Marv realizes storied career ‘winding down’
MARV ALBERT’S voice has been the soundtrack of the NBA for decades. His legendary calls, punctuated by his signature “Yes!” have been a part of sports — especially in New York — since the 1960s.
In his final season of his eight-year contract with Turner, Albert, 79, soon may put down his headset for the final time.
“I’m winding down,” Albert told The Post. “I’m not sure when. I think that is certainly ahead. I don’t want to be dishonest about it. The day will come.”
First, though, there is good news on the horizon for Albert and all those who have revered his calls for decades. On Tuesday, after his chat with The Post, he was scheduled to receive his second COVID-19 vaccine shot.
In March, a full year after his last game courtside, he is scheduled to be in Atlanta’s State Farm Arena for the All-Star Game, if the NBA goes forth with its plans. Albert would be joined by Reggie Miller and Chris Webber.
After skipping the NBA bubble to end last season due to health precautions, Albert has called games from a New York studio this season.
He has a 75inch monitor to work off of, while his analyst, Webber, and the production team, are in Atlanta. Meanwhile, his stats guy, Brian Taylor, is in Baltimore. It makes it more difficult to have that classic Albert sound.
“The pace that they play now is much faster than it used to be,” Albert said.
Albert’s biography, titled, “I’d Love to but I Have a Game” would indicate it might be difficult for him to retire. Considering he wrote it nearly three decades ago, in 1993, that could be true.
But he said he is doing well when he doesn’t have a game, becoming a huge binge watcher, with his latest being “Ted Lasso” on Apple TV and Netflix’s “Lupin.”
While Albert’s career has spanned generations, he is not looking for any retirement tours.
Since he will do the playoffs to end this season, he said he may not even definitively know when it is his final game, though he and TNT appear to be on the same page.
“They’ve been great,” Albert said.
Clicker books
While Albert is the greatest NBA play-by-player in history, Mike “Doc” Emrick holds that title in hockey. Papa Clicker reviewed Emrick’s book, “Off Mike,” which was coauthored with Kevin Allen. It chronicles Emrick’s rise from an Indiana boy to the voice of the NHL, highlighting his interaction with the famous and not famous in the game. It receives 4.2 out five clickers.