As NBA teams were evaluating their rosters for the 2022-23 season, one of basketball’s greatest broadcasters was dealing with a far more serious matter.
Longtime play-by-play announcer Mike Breen lost his Long Island home to a massive fire in September. Fortunately, no one was in Breen’s home at the time, but all of his family’s possessions inside the house were destroyed.
Here is what we know so far about the incident, which is currently under investigation.
MORE: Play-by-play announcers, analysts, studio hosts for NBA on ESPN
What happened to Mike Breen’s house?
TMZ reported on Sept. 29 that the house fire happened shortly after 4 a.m. ET on Sept. 25. The Manhasset-Lakeville (N.Y.) Fire Department responded to calls from Breen’s neighbors and the house’s automatic fire alarm, arriving at the scene and finding a “fully involved house fire,” per the MLFD’s Instagram page.
“Numerous hand lines as well as two ladder pipes and a deck gun were used to battle the fire,” the MLFD post said.
An MLFD spokesperson told TMZ that no one was in the house at the time, and there were no injuries. The cause of the fire is still unknown.
What did Mike Breen say about the house fire?
Breen, the lead NBA voice for ABC, ESPN and MSG Network broadcasts, initially passed along a message to Yankees play-by-play announcer Michael Kay, who discussed the house fire on the Sept. 28 edition of his ESPN New York radio show.
“Mike and his wife, Rosanne, they were in California finishing up a vacation before he starts the NBA season,” Kay said. “They got a call right before they were getting on a plane that something had happened to the house. It burned down to the ground. Everything destroyed. No personal memories are left. He and his wife, Rosanne, essentially have the clothes on their backs.
“The reason he asked me to say this is that so many people have reached out, and he’s in the middle of trying to get his life together, dealing with insurance companies, trying to get clothes that he can wear on the air next week when the NBA [season] starts. So, he just wants everyone to know, within the sound of our voice, he considers himself absolutely blessed for the people that have reached out and asked to help.”
Breen later addressed the incident directly during an Oct. 4 preseason game between the Knicks and Pistons.
“I didn’t want to take anything away from the game. I just want to give a heartfelt thanks to so many people who offered kindness and support this past week after the fire at my family’s home on Long Island,” Breen said. “Just a reminder for me of how many wonderful people are in my life. …
“There will never be enough adequate words to tell you how truly touched we all were and what a difference it made. Just incredible support. Me and my family the beneficiary of just unbelievable kindness. So, thank you to so many.”
When is Mike Breen’s first broadcast of the 2022-23 NBA regular season?
Breen will call the Knicks-Grizzlies game for ESPN on Wednesday, Oct. 19. He will be joined by Jeff Van Gundy and Lisa Salters.
The network will also air the Mavericks-Suns game on Wednesday. That broadcast will feature Mark Jones, Mark Jackson and Jorge Sedano.
Wednesday, Oct. 19 schedule
| Game | Time (ET) | National TV |
| Magic vs. Pistons | 7 p.m. | — |
| Wizards vs. Pacers | 7 p.m. | — |
| Rockets vs. Hawks | 7:30 p.m. | — |
| Pelicans vs. Nets | 7:30 p.m. | — |
| Bulls vs. Heat | 7:30 p.m. | — |
| Cavaliers vs. Raptors | 7:30 p.m. | — |
| Knicks vs. Grizzlies | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Thunder vs. Timberwolves | 8 p.m. | — |
| Hornets vs. Spurs | 8 p.m. | — |
| Nuggets vs. Jazz | 9 p.m. | — |
| Mavericks vs. Suns | 10 p.m. | ESPN |
| Trail Blazers vs. Kings | 10 p.m. | — |