Duke basketball will have a different sound starting in the 2017-18 season.
The voice of the Blue Devils, Bob Harris, will retire following this upcoming season after calling Duke games for over 40 years, the school announced Tuesday.
“His unwavering passion for Duke came through each and every broadcast over the past four decades,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said in a statement released by the school. “Without a doubt, Bob has produced some of the greatest calls in Duke history, if not all of sports, during that time.
“Certainly, we will miss Bob after this season ends, but we are very thankful we have had such a long run together.”
Harris, who also calls Duke football games, has been on the mic for 1,358 Blue Devils men’s basketball games. He’s called all five of Duke’s national title wins along with 13 Final Fours.
“Bob Harris is an institution at Duke,” ESPN broadcaster and former Duke player Jay Bilas said in a statement, “and his voice accompanies almost every iconic moment in Duke history. Bob taught me to be a broadcast pro and, while there is sadness at the thought of him leaving the booth, it will be wonderful to see the rich career of a true Duke legend appropriately celebrated in his final season. Bob Harris’ voice will be missed, but I’m thrilled we all get to savor it for one more year.”
Harris’ last year calling Duke games could be a special one as the Blue Devils top the Way-Too-Early Preseason Top-25 with Grayson Allen headlining a strong group of returners from last year, and a heralded recruiting class made up of Harry Giles, Jayson Tatum and Marques Bolden, among others, expected to provide major instant impacts.