After 23 years, sportscasting legend Neil Everett has made his final sign-off from “SportsCenter.”
He donned a lei for his final episode as a tribute to his roots in Hawaii, where he was both a sports director for Hawaii Pacific University and a local sports anchor before joining ESPN in 2000.
In an exclusive interview, Everett joined “Frank Buckley Interviews” for his first TV appearance since leaving ESPN.
When asked how he’s feeling about his departure from ESPN, Everett said, “I feel great about it, you know the grass under my feet was growing, it’s time to move on.”
He says he had such a blessed time at ESPN, “I couldn’t be more excited about my past. I couldn’t be more thrilled about my future.”
When Everett’s departure was first announced, tributes poured in. Many fans said they have listened to Neil Everett and Stan Verrett every night since the pair brought “SportsCenter” to Los Angeles and began co-anchoring in 2009.
Stan Verrett sent a surprise message that aired during “Frank Buckley Interviews,” telling Everett, “I wanted to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ for your generosity, for your companionship, your comradery and your cooperative spirit during our 14 years together anchoring ‘SportsCenter’ here in Los Angeles. It was a blast every single night. I’ll miss you dearly as a co-anchor, but I’ll treasure you forever as a friend. Love you buddy!”
Everett watched the message, smiling, “We’re the odd couple. He’s Felix, I’m Oscar. I love the guy, like no other. We’ve had a great time together, and I’m certainly going to miss him.”
Disney, the parent company for ESPN, announced it would be cutting 7,000 jobs through the summer of 2023. The Worldwide Leader made this announcement just before Everett announced his departure.
When asked if he was a part of the layoffs, he responded, “It was just time to go. If you jump of the cliff were you pushed or did you jump?”
He added, “It’s in my rearview mirror, I’m out of ESPN now.”
While on “Frank Buckley Interviews,” Everett was able to reflect on some of the best moments of his career, listing, “I did Coach John Wooden’s last TV interview. I became friends with Bill Walton. I met my boyhood idol Jerry West. I introduced myself to Denzel Washington who then looked at me and said, ‘I know who you are, I watch you every night!’ I talked story with Michael Keaton for 49 minutes on set…that’s got to be a ‘SC’ record!”
Everett told Buckley, “I feel like I’m living outside my body when I see what I’ve been able to accomplish.”
So, what’s next for Mr. Everett?
He says, “Well, I gotta find a new avenue to tell stories, because that was my juice on ‘SportsCenter.’ There’s got to be a book out there to write…there’s so many stories to tell!”
He will continue his work with the Portland Trail Blazers. He also recently shot a commercial for Cobra Golf. He continues his work with Heroes’ Movement, a nonprofit he co-founded to help veterans. Everett also said he looks forward to spending more time with his wife and family.
