Media

Carter is joining NBC Sports Boston’s team for the upcoming season.

By Chad Finn, The Boston Globe

October 4, 2023

NBC Sports Boston plans to honor Mike Gorman in various ways during the upcoming Celtics season, the Hall of Famer’s 43d as the team’s television play-by-play voice.

But even as the network celebrates the retiring Gorman in his farewell season, it already has his successor in place.

Drew Carter is joining NBC Sports Boston’s team for the upcoming season. He will have a significant role immediately, calling play-by-play during preseason and for most regular-season road games, and in 2024-25 will take over the full-time role.

The 77-year-old Gorman, who cut back on his travel in recent seasons, will call home games. Brian Scalabrine returns as the primary color analyst, with Abby Chin as the sideline reporter.

“Mike’s contributions over 43 Hall of Fame seasons will be unmatched and we are excited to give fans multiple opportunities to see some of the best moments from his storied career,” said Kevin Miller, vice president of content for NBC Sports Boston.

“We’re also thrilled to add Drew to the NBC Sports Boston family and our Celtics coverage. Drew is one of the industry’s rising play-by-play voices and has had the opportunity to call numerous sports across multiple platforms. He has a great understanding of the role he’s stepping into and we’re excited for Celtics fans to get know him.”

Carter is a Minnesota native and 2019 Syracuse graduate who has been with ESPN since August 2021. He has called a variety of sports there, including football, basketball, softball, and lacrosse. Last Sunday, he was the play-by-play announcer on ESPN and Disney’s “Toy Story” broadcast of the Falcons-Jaguars NFL game.

The opportunity to eventually succeed Gorman was, unsurprisingly, highly coveted. Former Celtics studio host Kyle Draper, who calls Sacramento Kings games, was among the broadcasters hopeful of landing the position.

To many Celtics fans, it comes as a surprise that Sean Grande, who has worked Celtics radio broadcasts alongside Cedric Maxwell since the 2001-02 season, will not be Gorman’s successor. Grande and Maxwell both signed contract extensions several months ago to remain calling games on 98 The Sports Hub.

Grande juggled the two roles last year, calling more than 20 games for NBC Sports Boston, and had expressed some interest on the Celtics Beat podcast in taking on both roles. Reached by text Wednesday, he chose not comment.

Gorman’s first call of his farewell season will be the season opener against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden Oct. 25. NBC Sports Boston plans to honor him this season with on-air highlights and vignettes, special guests, and a “Mike Gorman Night” at TD Garden in April.

NBC Sports Boston’s game coverage begins with Sunday’s preseason opener against the Sixers. Amina Smith and Eddie House will host the pre- and postgame studio programming, which also will feature reporter Chris Forsberg. Kendrick Perkins and Chris Mannix will contribute during the season.