As the Sonics enter into the first year of their relationship with KTTH-AM (770), the team has hired KJR-AM radio host David Locke to handle play-by-play duties for its radio broadcasts.
He will also serve as program director for a new Sonics radio-broadcast production and continue as play-by-play announcer for the Storm this season, said John Croley, vice president of business development and broadcast.
"We've been through quite the process," Croley said, explaining that they started with about 100 candidates from across the country. "We short-listed about six candidates a few weeks ago and narrowed it down to David.
"We feel very strongly that David is known in the local market and he has the program-director assets to help us with a new radio broadcast."
Financial terms of the two-year deal were not disclosed, and it is unclear how much longer Locke will continue his evening show on KJR.
Locke becomes only the third radio play-by-play man for the Sonics following Bob Blackburn and Kevin Calabro, who has handled radio and television broadcasts since 1989. He will remain with the team and call games for FSN.
Calabro will also resume radio play-by-play duties for the handful of games not televised on FSN.
Locke has hosted Sonics pregame and postgame shows for the past eight seasons and is in his seventh year as the radio voice of the Storm.
"It's everything that I ever envisioned, dreamed, hoped for and wanted," he said, "and you're doing it with the support of your idol in the best city in the country."
Note
• Former Sonics coach Lenny Wilkens is expected replace Craig Ehlo as color analyst for Sonics games on FSN.
Percy Allen: 206-464-2278 or pallen@seattletimes.com
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