Final Four sportscaster Nantz on proclamation from adoptive hometown of Houston: 'You know how much I love this city'

Though he was born in North Carolina and spent much of his youth in New Jersey, CBS sportscaster Jim Nantz has always held a special place in his heart for the City of Houston. 

Houston was where the 63-year-old Nantz attended college – and in what’s seemingly a full circle moment for the University of Houston (UH) alum – the place where he’s calling his last Final Four of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I tournament. 

In honor of the occasion, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner proclaimed Saturday to be “Jim Nantz Day" in Nantz’s adoptive home city.

“This is very cool, very special,” Turner told Houston FOX affiliate KRIV. “He started his broadcasting career on the campus of the University of Houston, and now, 354 games later, he decided to stop broadcasting on the NCAA side right here in the City of Houston. How special is that?” 

The mayor, who’s serving his last term, added that while his and Nantz’s beloved Cougars were sent home from the Big Dance earlier than expected, he called his fellow alum “a NCAA champion.”

According to a report on the NCAA website, Nantz was legendary golfer Fred Couples’ teammate and roommate at UH, giving each other unbridled support.

He recounted how the two would rehearse Couples winning the Masters in their dorm room, with the scenario actually coming true more than a decade later. 

"Being a student, an athlete, it changed my life," he said in the report. "It's as simple as that. I would not have had this opportunity otherwise."

Nantz, who’s best known for beginning his broadcasts with the phrase, “Hello, friends,” was also the public address announcer for the men’s basketball team during the Phi Slama Jama era. 

Aside from the Final Four, he has lent his voice to Masters Tournament and the Super Bowl during his nearly 40-year career behind the microphone. 

He expressed his undying love for the Bayou City to Houston CBS affiliate KHOU. 

"You know how much I love this city," Nantz said, the station reported. "This is the greatest city in the world right here. And it runs in perfect symmetry with what this tournament espouses ... and that is hope." 

While he won't call another basketball game ever again after the national championship on Monday, he'll continue to work with CBS's Masters coverage, stating he hopes to do so until he's 75, KHOU reported. 

As of press time, the Final Four consisted of the University of Connecticut (UConn), the University of Miami (FL), Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and San Diego State University (SDSU).