Two Cove in 19 yesterday.

MBA TV reporter and analyst Sekou Smith covered the league for more than two decades, starting as a beat writer for the Indianapolis Star covering the Pacers.

Then he went on to The Atlanta Journal Constitution to cover the Hawks before joining Turner Sports in 2000 and nine.

He'd been a TV analyst, a writer and a podcast host nationally ever since, touching just about everything and everyone associated with the game.

And so when he died, people from all over the NBA community were gutted, including Commissioner Adam Silver, who released this statement that said, in part quote, the MBA mourns the passing of Sekou Smith, a beloved member of the MBA family sake.

He was one of the most affable and dedicated reporters in the MBA, a terrific friend to so many across the league, Seko's love a basketball was clear to everyone who knew him, and it always shine through in his work, the Atlanta Hawks added, quote the Hawks organization, heartbroken by the passing of Sekou Smith, the Hawks beat writer for the A J.

C.

From 0509 Sekou provided our fans with honest and fair coverage, sharing incredible insight on the team while establishing himself as one of the MBA's top personalities.

Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy, the N B A community, lost a great man today in Sekou Smith.

While I've known him since he was at the A J.

C.

I was lucky to work with him in MBA TV.

I got to know him well enough to know three things.

I was luckily to spend time with him.

I wanted to know him better and he was a good man, Dwyane Wade said.

I've never had anything but positive interactions and conversations with Sekou Smith.

Our prayers go out to the Smith family.

We lost a good one.

Rest in heaven.

Steve Kerr also chimed in.

So too, Chris, Paul and many black journalists noted how sake who served as a mentor and inspiration as they were coming up.

And if you read the tributes, you notice the theme sake whose kindness?

His warmth, his razor sharp wit.

Personally, I can't stop thinking about that just infectious smile he had and his boundless curiosity so many times I watched him ask just one more question.

And of course, that's when the real story would often come pouring out.

Losing him is so hard and frankly, I am so angry.

I am angry that we, as a country have led more people die of this virus than anywhere else in the world.

Angry.

His wife and Children have to go on now without him, all of him, all of us, all of us in the N b.

A.

Community, all of us at the jump.

We would like to send our heartfelt condolences to, say whose wife Heather, their three Children, Gabriel Riley and Cameron Smith, was 48 years old.

He will be dearly missed.