Billy Packer Dies at Age 82; CBB Commentator for March Madness for over 30 Years

Legendary college basketball commentator Billy Packer died Thursday at the age of 82.

Packer's son Mark told the Associated Press' Steve Reed that Packer had been hospitalized for three weeks and experienced "several medical issues," with kidney failure the ultimate cause of his death.

CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus issued a statement on Packer's death, saying he "was synonymous with college basketball for more than three decades and set the standard of excellence as the voice of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament."

Reed noted Packer worked at the broadcast table for every men's Final Four from 1975 to 2008.

Packer was a decorated player in college, averaging 14.8 points and twice earning All-ACC honors at Wake Forest. He was a key contributor for the Demon Deacons in 1961-62 when they reached the Final Four and beat UCLA in the third-place game.

While Packer spent more than three decades as a commentator, he told The Athletic's Seth Davis in 2019 he "never had any goal to be a broadcaster" and described his career as a "hobby."

"I loved the opportunities I had, but I think it's always good to understand when you've had your time and it's time to do other things," he said.

Mark Packer reflected on how his father relished the reaction he typically generated from specific fanbases.

"He would cover North Carolina games and Tar Heels fans would be like, 'You hate North Carolina,'" the younger Packer told Reed. "Wake (Forest) fans would be like, 'You hate us.' And Billy just sort of got a kick out of that."