National Basketball Association

Ernie Johnson delivers heart-wrenching poem at Craig Sager's memorial

Published Dec. 20, 2016 2:23 p.m. ET

Dan Graf

Longtime NBA sideline reporter Craig Sager passed away last week after a lengthy battle with cancer, and his friends, family and admirers gathered Tuesday morning at Mount Bethel United Methodist Church in Marietta, Georgia, for his memorial service.

“NBA on TNT” co-host Ernie Johnson narrated a touching tribute to Sager, who passed away at age 65 last Thursday …

https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/809495152242720769

… but that was nothing compared to Johnson’s more personal comments at Tuesday’s memorial.

Johnson began by focusing on the legacy of Sager’s battle — one that will inspire others who haven’t even yet begun to fight:

“Here’s what Craig has done: He’s planted sequoias. Because there will be people who watch this fight, who unfortunately, 10, 15, 20 years from now, will hear a doctor say, ‘Yeah it’s cancer.’ And they’re going to say, ‘I remember when I was 15 years old I watched Craig Sager fight this thing, and I can, too.’ ”

“And so amid the tears and all the memories we cherish now, we say farewell to our friend Sags and make this humble vow: There’s no way to gauge the days we have, no way to know how long, but know this, Craig, we’ll do our best to live them Sager Strong.”