For Mike Breen, one word is all it takes. Or, on special occasions, two.
As far as iconic commentator catchphrases go, Breen’s “BANG!” is pretty high on the list. The word carries a reverberance far deeper than its four letters, capable of breaking a fan’s heart or sealing a memory.
Breen says his signature call finds its roots during his college days at Fordham University — but not in the way you’d expect. While Breen was a member of Fordham’s student radio station, WFUV, “bang” wasn’t his go-to call when he was on the air. On the contrary, it was what he’d yell in the stands after a big shot as a fan when he wasn’t calling a game.
Once Breen began calling more games for Fordham student radio, he tried to work “bang” into his big-moment repertoire, but shelved it after determining it didn’t sound right on WFUV’s airwaves. When Breen graduated and began calling games once more in packed high school gymnasiums, his iconic tagline once again felt natural and reappeared.
Since its early days at Rose Hill Gymnasium in the Bronx, Breen’s “bang” has grown into a national phenomenon.
Stephen Curry has become something of the poster boy for Breen’s “bang” signature over the years. As of September 2023 he’s received by far the most such calls, thanks to a combination of his longevity, frequent big-game appearances and obvious skill set from beyond the arc.
The Golden State Warriors star is well aware of the connection between his game and Breen’s call. Curry was the first-ever player to prompt a double bang from Breen, with his deep game-winning 3-pointer against the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016 marking the spinoff call’s first usage by Breen (at least as an NBA commentator). Seven years later Curry gifted Breen a pair of his new sneakers, which had been named the Curry 2 Bang Bang PE Retros in honor of the call.
Curry’s shot was the first example of Breen’s occasional simple, but arguably even more iconic twist on his call, saved for when a game-changing moment calls for even more fanfare: the double bang.
With the double bang becoming more frequent, it’s natural to wonder if a triple bang is the natural next step in the call’s…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at www.espn.com – NBA…