A few weeks before leaving the Turner waves, the team “ inside the NBA ” is in mourning after the loss of a crew member who worked behind the scenes.
Kevin Thomas, who worked like a hand-hand in the popular basketball show, has recently died.
While a number of those who work on the show stood behind the office, Johnson announced the public.
“You are watching our NBA team, it’s as close as possible for a family in the workplace,” said Johnson, 68.
“And our family suffers tonight, because we have lost one of our brother this week.
“Kevin Thomas was one of the handles of the stage here in Studio J, here for 30 years. And he was a great teammate.
Ernie Johnson pushed tears when he honored a recently adopted member of “Inside The NBA”
Kevin Thomas, crew member of the Popular program, died at the age of 70
“You may not have known it, but you saw it. He was one of most of the sketches we have prepared.
While Johnson continued, images of Thomas participating in the hilarious sketches of the show played behind him – drawing laughter of the crew and certain co -animators of Johnson.
“The guy had a joyful sense of humor and a kindness about him that simply attracted you,” said Johnson, on an image of Thomas pretending to cring nails from Shaquille O’Neal. “Whenever we needed something,” you know what, it calls Kevin. ‘
The former NBA stars also sounded with their tributes to their late colleague, whose cause of death was not immediately known.
“Inside” analyst Charles Barkley also proposed part of his thinking on Thomas.
“Death is so sudden,” said Barkley. “You are with someone one day and then you receive the call the next day they left.
“We were all in shock when we received the message the other day. Guy, what a fun guy. I admired it, I respected it. He did everything we asked him to do.
“The world is a saddest place without Kevin not here, it was just a very good guy and we’re going to miss.”
Shaquille O’Neal (seen in a camel cover by Thomas) recalled that she had heard his death
O’Neal spoke of the moment he learned the news of the death of Thomas: “When they told me the other day, I heard him but I didn’t want to hear it, I said:” Who? “They said,” Kevin “. My kevin?
Johnson closed the dark segment by honoring the program’s beloved member more.
“He was one of those guys who came to work with a smile on his face,” said Johnson, and his voice broke as he patted his pen on the desk with sad frustration.
“He was 70,” said Johnson, and added that he left his wife, son and four grandchildren.
“We pray in this period which is inevitably difficult, they can somehow find comfort and peace knowing how this husband, this father, this grandfather was loved and respected. The studio will never be the same again.