Longtime NBA announcer dies

Wednesday afternoon saw tragedy strike the Charlotte Hornets’ organization.

The team announced that longtime PA announcer Pat Doughty had passed away at 55. In a statement released around 3 p.m. ET on Wednesday, the team notified the public that Doughty, who was affectionately known as “Big Pat,” had passed away after dealing with kidney-related health problems in recent years. He also had been confined to a wheelchair.

Here’s how the Hornets’ statement read:

“Big Pat’s vibrant voice was the backbone of our game experience and energized Spectrum Center every night,” the Hornets said in a statement. “He was dedicated to our team and our fans, even as he fought health issues in recent years. He will be greatly missed by everyone associated with the Hornets organization. Our thoughts are with Pat’s family and his many friends.”

A 2019 feature done by Charlotte’s WSCO-TV revealed that Doughty suffered from severe neuropathy. This condition damages nerves and can cause pain, weakness, numbness and balance problems, confining him to a wheelchair. It’s important to note that while neuropathy is often associated with diabetes, Doughty did not have diabetes.

Despite undergoing dialysis three times a week to manage a kidney-related issue, Doughty bravely continued his role as the Hornets’ beloved PA announcer.

Anyone who ever graced the Spectrum Center was familiar with Big Pat’s booming voice, and his presence on the mic was undeniable. He had one of the most distinguishable voices in the greater Charlotte area and provided a soundtrack to basketball since it returned to the Queen City in 2004.

A native of Maryland, Doughty had carved out a successful career in both R&B music and Charlotte sports talk radio. In 2020, he received the esteemed honor of induction into the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Hall of Fame.

Doughty had been the PA announcer for the Hornets for two decades, including through their previous incarnation as the Bobcats.

[ Charlotte Hornets ]

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