Mark Jones is leaving after more than three decades, ending a run that began in 1990 and made him one of the network’s most familiar voices on NBA and college football broadcasts. His final game for the network will come Sunday evening, when the Boston Celtics meet the Orlando Magic at 6 p.m. ET.
did not say Jones is retiring, and he is not expected to step away from broadcasting. That leaves open the next chapter for a 64-year-old announcer whose role at the network has shifted in recent years as he moved down ’s NBA depth chart behind Mike Breen, Dave Pasch and Ryan Ruocco.
Jones once held the No. 2 NBA play-by-play spot at and called two Finals games in 2022 when Breen tested positive for COVID. Over the past few years, though, his assignment load has changed. He remained a steady presence in college football, including the Pac-12 late-night games carried, while also serving as a featured voice on studio coverage for the Finals, Draft Lottery, All-Star game and other marquee events.
His work for stretched far beyond a single sport. The network said, “Mark has made an enduring impact at since 1990, serving as a signature voice primarily within our NBA and college football coverage and across nearly all of our platforms.” It added, “We’re grateful for Mark’s countless contributions and we wish him continued success.” Jones also worked games as the local play-by-play announcer for the Sacramento Kings, part of a career that made him recognizable to fans well beyond ’s national telecasts.
The news, first reported Friday, closes one long chapter but does not appear to close the door on Jones’ broadcasting career. What changes now is the setting: after Sunday night’s Celtics-Magic game, one of ’s longest-serving voices will no longer be heard on the network that carried him for 36 years.
