The basketball world lost a legend on Friday as hall of fame writer Phil Jasner passed away at the age of 68.
Jasner was an incredibly dedicated, passionate reporter who epitomized Philadelphia basketball. He joined the Philadelphia Daily News in 1972 and served as the 76ers beat writer from 1981 until his passing.
He was a student of the game and the knowledge he passed on throughout his career can not be measured. Jasner loved basketball, Philadelphia, and telling great stories. That combination along with his meticulous work ethic and fair and balanced style made him truly one of the greats in his industry.
He covered it all during his career. From Julius Erving and Charles Barkley to Doug Collins return to the City of Brotherly Love. Jasner was even the reporter that asked Allen Iverson if he thought it was important to practice setting off the Answer’s infamous press conference rant.
I’ll never forget the first time I contacted Jasner. I was 12 years old and I had read a rumor online that the Sixers were involved in trade talks to acquire F Corey Maggette. Intrigued by the gossip I decided to e-mail Jasner on the off chance that he had heard something and would answer some random kid’s question.
I never expected to hear back. Within minutes, I had a response.
Michael –
There is nothing to the Maggette rumors. You can’t believe everything you read on the internet. If you have any more questions, feel free to e-mail me.
Thanks,
Phil
It’s funny how the little things in life make all of the difference. The fact that he took the time to answer this 12-year old made my day. Not to mention, he gave me some pretty good advice.
While I never met Phil, he and I communicated through e-mail many times over the past decade. Whether it was about the Sixers memorable run to the NBA finals in 2001, the trading of Allen Iverson and the downfall of the franchise, or the recent prospects for June’s draft in which the Sixers had the #2 overall pick, he always answered and he always had interesting things to say. The amount of basketball knowledge he passed onto me is something I will always treasure.
It wasn’t just me. Jasner made whoever he was with feel important and gave them his full undivided attention. In addition to being a great reporter, he was an incredibly impressive man.
Jasner battled cancer over the past few years and while his curly hair may have disappeared, the passion he had for his work was unwavering. He cared about the game, the team, and the city until the very end.
The City of Philadelphia and the journalism world lost an icon far too soon. In an era of blogs and lazy reporting, Jasner exemplified the traits of what makes a truly great reporter. I hope that one day I can become half of the reporter that he was during his incredible career.
Goodbye Phil. Thanks for everything.
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