Grant Napear

Born/Date of Birth: June 18, 1959
Place of Birth: Syosset, New York, United States
Education: Bowling Green State University
Occupation: Sportscaster
Spouse: Starr Napear
Children: Two sons
Grant Napear (born June 18, 1959) is an American sports radio host. He hosted The Grant Napear Show at KHTK Sports 1140 in Sacramento, California. He was previously the play-by-play announcer for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is fills in for Jim Rome on The Jim Rome show. A section of his radio show is the self-titled "Grant's Rant," in which he furiously exclaims into the microphone about everyday things that irritate him, such as obese passengers on airplanes, stop lights at freeway on-ramps, and people asking him if he's ready for Christmas during the holidays. His trademark phrase "If you don't like that, you don't like NBA basketball” has become a household reference among Kings fans, and NBA fans in general.

Napear resigned from his play-by-play position with the Sacramento Kings on June 2, 2020, after posting "All Lives Matter" on Twitter in a reply to former Kings player DeAndre Cousins. The post came in the midst of the nationwide unrest during the George Floyd protests.

Born in Syosset, New York, Napear graduated from Syosset High School in 1977 and earned his academic degree in broadcast journalism from Bowling Green University, where he also played lacrosse

Broadcasting history
1988–2020: Sacramento Kings play-by-play television announcer
2000–2015: play-by-play announcer for the San Jose Sabercats
2011–2012: Sacramento Mountain Lions play-by-play announcer Source
(unknown): fill-in play-by-play announcer for the San Jose Sharks
2003: Oakland Raiders preseason television announcer
1995-1998: Sacramento Kings play-by-play radio announcer (KHTK)
1992-1994: Play-by-play announcer for the Sacramento Gold Miners
1987-1995: Sports director for KRBK-TV/KPWB (now KMAX-TV) Channel 31, Sacramento California
1985-1987: Weekend sports anchor, WAND, Decatur, IL
1977-1981: Football, basketball and hockey play-by-play announcer for Bowling Green University
Controversies
Napear has been accused of racism by former players for the Sacramento Kings and has come under fire for defending Donald Sterling, the former owner of the Los Angeles Clippers banned from the NBA after making racist remarks. On May 31, 2020, Napear generated controversy and was placed on leave by KHTK after posting a statement on Twitter containing the phrase "All lives matter". KHTK announced that they had fired Napear and the Kings announced Napear had resigned from his TV position with them less than a week later.

Personal
Napear currently lives in El Dorado Hills, California with his wife, Starr Napear, and two sons Trent and Chase. The couple also have additional children from previous marriages. He is on the board of the Future Foundation of Sacramento, a foundation providing college scholarships for disadvantaged youth. He's hosted a benefit golf tournament for the foundation since 1995. During a February 2012 edition of his radio show, Napear told fellow Sacramento broadcaster Walt Gray that he has never had a cup of coffee in his life.