Bolerjack, Boone remember 'Hot Rod' Hundley


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SALT LAKE CITY — “Hot Rod” Hundley was an icon in the world of basketball.

The top pick in the 1957 NBA Draft, he was an All-American with the West Virginia Mountaineers and was a showman of the nth degree.

However, after retiring with the Los Angeles Lakers, he jumped into a career in broadcasting with the legendary Chick Hearn, before working in Phoenix and then doing national college games.

He settled as the play-by-play broadcaster of the New Orleans Jazz in 1974 and made the transition with the team when the moved to Salt Lake City in 1979.

From there, the state of Utah would never be the same — nor would the profession of broadcasting basketball. Hundley became known for phrases like “Stockton-to-Malone” and “You Gotta Love It, Baby” when the Jazz would win games.

Hundley passed away Friday in Phoenix, at the age of 80. Immediately after his passing, social media errupted with praise for the Hall of Famer.

In spite of his celebrity, he was remembered Saturday in a pregame memorial ceremony as a great person, who also happened to be a Hall of Fame broadcaster.

Long-time broadcast partners Craig Bolerjack and Ron Boone spoke, along with Jazz broadcast director Travis Henderson.

Bolerjack, who worked as Hundley’s analyst on KSL’s production of Jazz games in the 1980s, replaced Hundley as the team’s television voice for the 2005-06 season.

Utah Jazz broadcaster Craig Bolerjack sits at a pre-game memorial service for late Jazz broadcaster 'Hot Rod' Hundley. (Deseret News)
Utah Jazz broadcaster Craig Bolerjack sits at a pre-game memorial service for late Jazz broadcaster 'Hot Rod' Hundley. (Deseret News)

While replacing a legend is never easy, Bolerjack said “Hots” gave him a great deal of encouragement before the transition happened.

“He gave me his blessing just to take this job and run, and that means a lot,” he said. “You don’t replace legends, and that gave the strength just to take the job and understand people would compare all of us to 'Hots.' You’re not 'Hots,' he’s 'Hots,' and always will be. You do have to love it, baby, and I miss him.”

Bolerjack had a long professional association with Hundley, but no Jazz media member knew Hundley as well as long-time Utah color commentator Ron Boone. Boone and Hundley called some of the franchise’s greatest moments, from the team’s runs in the NBA Finals to John Stockton setting the league’s all-time steals and assists marks.

Boone said he learned about the profession from following Hundley.

“Coming into this business with him, he taught me a lot,” he said. “He taught me how not to spend money on the road. He was a very special person to me, and everything he did as a broadcaster was very special to me.”

Hundley was well-known throughout the NBA and had friends that ranged from Academy Award-winning actors to ushers at arenas. He befriended Jazz broadcast director Travis Henderson when Henderson starting working with the team as a 23-year-old fresh out of college.

Henderson said he and Hundley shared many good times and conversations.

“I had the pleasure of working with 'Hot Rod' for 12 years,” he said. “He took me in and taught me the love of basketball; taught me the love of the broadcasting business. The news hit hard; he was a dear friend.”

The team held a moment of silence for the legendary broadcaster before the tip off of Saturday’s game versus Oklahoma City. For the remainder of the season, the Jazz will wear a black armband to memorialize Hundley.

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Jon Oglesby

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