Hoop star Daugherty joins ESPN/ABC team

Former Tar Heel, NASCAR team owner to be part of broadcast team

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) -- Brad Daugherty, best known to sports fans as one of the biggest stars of the Cleveland Cavaliers, has a new position in front of the camera as a NASCAR analyst.

	Brad Daugherty
	ESPN/ABC TEAM UNVEILED ESPN/ABC's NASCAR broadcast team will have a combination of veterans and rookies in it when the networks return to NASCAR next season.  •   Complete story,  click here

The job with ESPN will build on Daugherty's long-running efforts to increase minority participation in one of the least diverse of the major sports.

"This is huge," he told The Citizen-Times in a story published Thursday. "It's unprecedented to have a full-time African-American covering NASCAR, and I'm excited about the opportunity."

Daugherty was chosen first overall by Cleveland in the 1986 NBA Draft and played in five All-Star games before an injury forced his retirement after eight seasons in 1994. He still holds franchise records including points scored (10,389), total rebounds (5,227) and free throws made (2,741).

The Cavaliers retired his jersey in 1997, and he was unanimously selected to the team's All-Time Starting Five during its 30th anniversary celebration in the 1999-2000 season.

Daugherty, a Black Mountain native also starred for Owen High School and the University of North Carolina, where he played alongside Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins and Kenny Smith.

Daugherty has been involved in NASCAR for almost 20 years, as an owner of race teams in the Busch and Craftsman Truck Series, and a member of the Rules and Competition Committee.

He and NASCAR chief executive Brian France co-founded NASCAR's Diversity Council several years ago.

"Brian said to me that the cultural impact of this is huge, and I think that's what intrigued me the most," Daugherty said. "I thought that if I don't step up and take this opportunity, who will? It probably wouldn't be another African-American. So I felt some responsibility as well as being a big racing fan who loves the sport."