HOUSTON — You won’t see Mark Grant calling the plays on the court, but if you look inside the production trucks at NRG Park in Houston, you’d see him making those split-second decisions deciding what viewers see on TV.
Mark Grant, 63, is part of sports history as the first black director for a championship game.
"I’m very excited about that; I would say it’s probably taken too long, I’m glad I’m the first, but I hope I won’t be the last,” said Grant.
For the last 39 Final Four games at CBS, legendary director Bob Fishman directed, but when he retired last year, CBS turned to Grant, who considered himself a football director for CBS’ NFL coverage.
"So when they asked me to do it, I was surprised. They could have chosen anybody, but they thought a lot about what I do in basketball to say hey, we want you to be the next guy," said Grant.
Grant says Saturday’s game was not just a nail bitter for fans but for him too. The bosses were in the production truck.
"I was very nervous, excited. I was also confident. I think you can be confident and nervous simultaneously, and I was a little bit of both," said Grant.
“Fortunately, that last play came down to a buzzer-beater by San Diego State. We captured the moment well. I went back and looked at it and was very confident with what I did."
The five-time Sports Emmy winner is also excited to participate in something special. It’s the last championship game for legendary sports broadcaster Jim Nantz.
“The fact that I’m doing his last game, I will remember forever, and we have a lot of stuff special planned when the game is over, all of that for Jim," said Grant.
Grant knows this is a big moment for San Diego State and UConn, and he’s ready to capture more than just the game.
"I’m always looking for the joy and the pain."
Grant says no matter what happens on the court; they want a smooth production, something the audience will remember.
“It’s not just about me being the director. It’s about me and the crew coming together like an orchestra. And when the orchestra comes together, it’s beautiful," said Grant.
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