When the Denver Nuggets begin the NBA playoffs in the coming weeks, they’ll have one of their biggest fans behind the microphone.
Public address announcer Kyle Speller, a 1989 Regis Jesuit High School graduate, will whip the Pepsi Center crowd into a frenzy as he has for the past six seasons, urging them to cheer on a team he’s grown up loving since former Nuggets great Alex English gave him an autograph in the fifth grade.
The 40-year-old Speller is known for his Barry White-esque voice, but he wears many hats: husband, father of twin sons and a daughter, basketball league organizer and player, assistant pastor of Emmanuel Christian Center, supervisor at Comcast, commercial voiceover man and part-time coach, to name a few. He was a basketball player at Regis Jesuit, continued his career at Adams State College and took a crack at playing professionally. Now, Speller uses his 6-foot-6 frame to play with the growing Koinonia Basketball League (KBL), which sometimes travels to prisons around Colorado and encourages the spiritual growth of men.
Speller talked about the importance of family and basketball in his life, his announcing inspirations and more.
What is the purpose of the KBL, which you started six years ago?
There was a ministry I belonged to and we had a basketball team and would travel around the state playing against the prisons. It was an awesome time and we’ve done that for a few years. It’s tapered off a little bit, but we still go in from time to time. The format for what we do inside of those prisons is we start and end every game with prayer. At halftime, the facilities let us have about a half hour to speak to the inmates and pore into their lives and give them words of encouragement. … When I was at Regis Jesuit, we really emphasized the importance of being a man. That’s the sole purpose of the league, we just use basketball as the tool to get the message out. We have a theme for the summer and each week we break it down and minister on one specific topic. We don’t allow any cursing or fighting or trash talking. I call the basketball court our pulpit basically.
The game of basketball is obviously a big part of your life, so what’s it like to work with the Nuggets?
It’s been a dream come true and I get to live it every day. I think to myself, I’m one of 30 people in the world who get to do this. When I think of it like that, I think what an honor. It was all God. I didn’t have any experience announcing, just doing player introductions in the prisons. That was my practice field, with a couple of high school games here and there. I did some praying and hoping God would open that door and he did…I’m a fan and I’m not ashamed to admit that. I truly am doing it with a purpose of doing my part and making sure we have a home court advantage. I pour everything into those games.
Who were the announcers that sparked your interest?
My ultimate inspiration was Ray Clay, the public address announcer for the Bulls back in the Michael Jordan era. They always televised those introductions. The lights would go down, the music would come on and I would get goose bumps every time. From North Carolina!…I would practice those things in my head. There’s also a guy by the name of John Mason, the Detroit Pistons public address announcer. Back when they were making their run and the world’s eyes were on Detroit, he really stood out. He changed the way announcing was done and made certain things acceptable. At my audition, there was one piece I did for Earl Boykins. I announced “Earl, B-B-B-Boykins,” whereas he would announce “Chauncey, B-B-B-Billups.” So I took that piece from there and that style of announcing. Those are the two areas to put together. The rest is just me.
How will you handle Carmelo Anthony’s return to the Pepsi Center?
I really want to show him appreciation. From the time he arrived, we’ve been in the playoffs every year; even though we didn’t get out of the first round, he made it exciting around here as far as national attention on our team and on our city. He grew up here a little bit, so I’m not mad at him. It’s a corporate world and business decisions are made all the time. …So when a person in that position has the opportunity to go pursue a dream, then why not? Who are we to stop them?. …One thing I would do, Melo Belafonte — like Harry Belafonte — and I would say “MEL-O” and the crowd responded back. I would love to be able to do that and have the crowd respond back one last time, but I don’t know. We’ll see what the vibe is like here in the city.
You wear so many different hats, but what is most important in your list of priorities?
I try to make sure I save enough in the tank for my wife and family. Just being in tune and connected with what’s going on at home. I grew up in a fatherless home, so I try not to miss any of my children’s activities. Those are huge and very important to me. So my daughter was at volleyball all day and my sons had two basketball games at the same time as the Nuggets game, so my daughter recorded them and I went home and watched them after the Nuggets game. That’s just something that is in me. I have to be there and see it. I’m a typical dad, that’s for sure.