Bucks announcer Byington makes history
Lisa Byington is making history as the Milwaukee Bucks’ new play-by-play voice on their television broadcasts.
The Bucks announced the hiring Wednesday and said Byington is the first woman to work as a full-time television play-by-play announcer for any major men’s professional sports team.
Byington replaces Jim Paschke, who retired after 35 seasons as the team’s main television play-by-play broadcaster.
“I understand the groundbreaking nature of this hire, and I appreciate the fact that during this process that aspect was addressed, but never made a primary focus,” Byington said in a statement. “In fact, I applaud the Bucks for taking the first steps toward making hires like this more of the norm in the NBA. Because it’s time.”
Earlier this year, Byington became the first female play-by-play broadcaster for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. She was a men’s and women’s soccer play-by-play announcer for NBC Sports in the 2021 Olympics and also did playby-play for the Women’s World Cup on Fox in 2019.
The Bucks’ broadcast crew also includes Marques Johnson and Steve Novak as analysts and Zora Stephenson as a sideline reporter. Last season, Stephenson became the first woman to work as a play-by-play announcer for the Bucks when she filled in for Paschke for one game.
Byington worked as a sideline reporter for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament on CBS and Turner Sports from 201719. She also has been a playby-play broadcaster on NBA and WNBA games.
She became the first female play-by-play broadcaster for a Big Ten Network college football game in 2017.
Byington has broadcast games for FOX Sports, FS1, Big Ten Network, CBS, Turner Sports, Pac-12 Network, ESPN and the SEC Network in both play-byplay and reporter roles. She played basketball and soccer while at Northwestern.
• The Celtics acquired forward Juancho Hernangómez from the Grizzlies in exchange for guards Carsen Edwards and Kris Dunn.
As part of the transaction, Memphis will have the right to swap a 2026 secondround draft pick with Boston’s second-round pick that year.
Hernangómez, 25, has played 257 games for Denver and Minnesota, averaging 5.7 points on 43% shooting and 3.5 rebounds. The Nuggets selected him with the 15th overall pick in the 2016 draft.
Edwards appeared in 68 games over two seasons for Boston after being selected in the second round of the 2019 draft. He averaged 3.6 points, 1.1 rebounds and 0.6 assists. Dunn was acquired by Boston last month as part of a three-team deal.
• The Timberwolves filled out their roster by re-signing forward Jarred Vanderbilt and guard Jordan McLaughlin, both of whom were restricted free agents.
Vanderbilt received a three-year, $18.3 million deal and McLaughlin a three-year deal worth about $6.5 million that comes with a team option for the third year.
The 6-foot-9 Vanderbilt averaged 5.4 points on 60.6% shooting, 5.8 rebounds and 17.8 minutes in 64 games last season, his first full season with Minnesota. Vanderbilt gives the Timberwolves another option at a power forward spot they have been trying to enhance for several years. They also acquired Taurean Prince in a trade last month with Cleveland and return Jaden McDaniels after a promising rookie season.
McLaughlin averaged 5.0 points, 3.8 assists and 18.4 minutes in 51 games last season. He’ll provide depth at point guard behind D’Angelo Russell and Patrick Beverley, who arrived in a trade with Memphis.
• The Grizzlies waived 36-year-old center Marc Gasol days after acquiring his rights in a trade with the Lakers.
• Former Laker Cedric Ceballos moved out of intensive care and updated his progress in an ongoing fight with COVID-19.
“I am officially OUT of the ICU unit, but not out of the hospital. Walked on my own yesterday, struggled but got through it. Lungs not strong enough so still need assistance there ... road will be tough and long but I am up for it ...”