Jim Nantz to Call Last NCAA Final Four This Season

Longtime NCAA basketball tournament play-by-play man Jim Nantz will call his last Final Four in 2023, per Andrew Marchand of the New York Post.

Nantz, 63, has been the voice of CBS’ coverage of the Final Four for more than three decades. (CBS and TBS now alternate Final Four broadcasts.) 

Ian Eagle, 53, will replace Nantz as the top play-by-play for NCAA tournament coverage. Eagle has called plenty of NBA games, including his time as voice of the Nets and NBA games on TNT.

In an interview with Marchand, Nantz cited wanting to spend more time with his family for stepping aside. He intends to keep attending the championship game and handling the trophy presentation. 

“I would like to sit in the stands for the great majority of the game with my kids,” Nantz told Marchand. “And tell them that their dad used to call this game. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me for a few minutes, I’ve got to go down to the floor and give the trophy away.’ That will be a lot of fun.”

As for Eagle, Nantz offered high praise.

“It’s his time,” Nantz said, via Marchand. “I will support him 1,000 percent. He doesn’t need my support. But I’m absolutely thrilled for him. He’s a great teammate. He’s been right in the middle of this NCAA Tournament for a long, long time. So he’s not dropping in from outside, I mean he’s going to be working an extra weekend. It happens to be the big one. And he is definitely capable and ready and will excel and he’ll take it to all new heights.”

Nantz has been anchored CBS’ coverage of the Masters tournament since 1989 and has been the network’s lead play-by-play voice since 2004. Early in his career, he was the play-by-play voice of the Jazz, working alongside ex-NBA guard and Basketball Hall of Fame analyst Hot Rod Hundley.