The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - GOOD FOLLOW - Michael Grady talks New York Liberty, The Face of The WNBA, Finding His Style & More!

Episode Date: October 23, 2025

Ros sits down with NBC and Amazon Prime's play-by-play announcer, Michael Grady. Together, they figure out who is the Beyoncé of the Liberty booth. Michael breaks down his first professional play-by-play experience with the New York Liberty while they were still in Westchester. What does it mean to be with the New York Liberty? Next, Michael breaks down how he found his own style and voice in both the NBA and WNBA broadcasts. What does it mean to cover women’s hoops? How did the Indiana Fever and Tamika Catchings impact his career? Then, Michael breaks down how he found his voice and style as an announcer. What does it mean to be ‘Cash’? Lastly, Michael shares who he thinks is the face of the WNBA and who is the future of the league. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You're listening to Draft King's Network. Hey, what's up, y'all? Welcome to Good Follow show, presented by Draft Kings. I'm Ros Goldon-Bu-Du-Dade, and I am coming to you from our New York City Studios. We have an exclusive interview with a very special guest. Now, if you love who, then you probably already know this guy. But there's a chance if you don't. I'm going to introduce you to somebody that you are going to see and hear a lot of because he is one of the voices and the faces of the league, actually both leagues. I'm talking WNBA. I'm talking NBA on both the national and the local levels.

So he's going to be the voice and face for NBC, for Amazon Prime, NBA and WNBA. Locally, he is with the Minnesota Timberwolves and with me on the New York Liberty broadcast. So guys, I bring on. He's got all the jobs. He is the man with all the momentum. My guy, Michael Grady.

I appreciate you, my friend. You are missed. I'm happy we can catch up. and happy we can do this. Thank you for having me on. I'm so happy to have you on, Grady, and that you've made the time. I know, like, NBA season just started up.

You're probably so, so busy, right? Yeah, this is like a little bit of a calm before the storm. I got a few days before things to really pick up with the Sunday, Monday, back to back, and then another game on Wednesday. So this is, this is like a good sweet spot. But even if it was busy period, you know, always make time. It's fun to catch up.

talk some hoop and getting into some other things. So excited about that with you. Absolutely. And, you know, Grady and I, we call games together for the New York Liberty. He is the team's lead play-by-play. That's, you know, people always ask me. They're like, do you have a professional photographer? And I'm like, no, that's Grady's camera.

And pre-game, we do our fist bump before every broadcast for good luck. And I, Grady, I like to call you Beyonce. I call you Beyonce. So can you tell the people why? No, no. This is, this is, you know, we have a good relationship. We don't fight, but we do have disagreements. And this is one of the disagreements.

I say that Ros Godin-Mudet is, is Beyonce. Again, multi-hyphen it, so many different avenues, big-time brand. And, you know, I'm just, I'm Julius. And so I just make sure. I just make sure that you're, you know, protected good. Make sure that we get on the broadcast. Do you want to talk to that? Nope, no, no, you got to go through.

You got to go to. This is Kat. This is Kat. This is Kat. I'm literally going to have to object here because if anyone is Julius, it's me. People are literally everywhere we go, Grady, Grady, come and dabbing him up. He knows everybody from, you know, the president to the players to the ushers. And actually, I do call you Beyonce.

my friend, because, and I'm happy to be your backup dancer, listen, B, okay? Because look at Grady, like, he's doing magazine covers and shoots now. My guy is glowing up. Look, they got the articles. We got receipts, Grady. They got the articles. National Rise. He's doing cool photo shoots now.

Oh, my God. Look at the lighting. My guy loves good lighting. And, you know, you're hanging out with the players. You've got, you get custom jackets for NBC coverage. Um, very, very, listen, you can deny it if you want. These are receipts. I am honored to be a background dancer for Beyonce here.

And I just, I'm just poking fun here. But I think the two things that you have that are so great. And I think one, this magical voice and talent, right? So like, full stop. You are so talented. But I think another thing is you are a wonderful human being. You are a great person. People love being around you.

You are magnetic. You are fun. you are like and look you hold people down you pull up on my show man you're doing everything right now for you work for four different networks right now for the NBA just started like and you're here and so I think I think that's part of you know the glow that's love I appreciate you and it's a joy it's a joy as you know to be able to be in this space um we we remember being young and being inspired by others and to have the privilege, to have doors open up and our hard work, be recognized and be in a position where you can inspire someone, even if it's just one

person, but that we can inspire someone. It's something that I don't take for granted. And we just have a lot of joy. And that's why we hit it off. I hit it off. You know, I connect with people who appreciate these opportunities, these moments. And to cherish these things. And that's why I do have that camera with me because, you know, I want to, I want to, I want to, I want to cherish these, these memories a year from now, 20 years from now. So, so a lot of joy and I appreciate, I truly appreciate you saying that. Oh, no, it's from the heart, man. And I felt that joy, too. In fact, I think that leads into our broadcast for the New York Liberty, you know, your play by play, I'm analyst, color commentator.

We're also joined by Tina Servacio, our sideline reporter. It's actually one of the great honors of my career to cover the New York Liberty, being a New Yorker, coming up through the organization. And honestly, to get a championship ring from the New York Liberty for their 2024 championship. And you see the three of us over there. I mean, just hamming it up. Your reaction on the right is one of my favorite images of the entire season. Like, you did the joy and the.

If you're not sure how much that meant to Roz, like that, that photo right there, that moment right there kind of encapsulates the energy, the fun, the joy, and how much this means to you and to us be a part of this franchise. So to your question, you know, my first play-by-play professional basketball experience was with the New York Liberty. And I wish I could have gone back as far as you have. and those MSG days, I can't even, I can't even imagine. But my first opportunity to do play by play was when the Liberty played in Westchester, at that little gym. And they were just, you know, figuring things out and sort of in limbo in terms of we were certainly not going to continue to play here, but where's the franchise going to go next? And for me, again, I was just happy to be able to call a game and to have that experience. and then the side step in

and then it's on to Brooklyn, baby. And the whole thing just dramatically shifted to where in a city like New York, you know, the premier city in the world where all these things are going on, Yankees games during NBA season, you got, you know, we had a stretch with the nets with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving,

and of course, all the Knicks are hot and, you know, at the Rangers and so many different things going on, fashion week, all these things that, you're involved with, these high, these high profile things. And the New York Liberty has carved out of space to where it is appointment viewing. It is a space that you want to be, that you have to be, that you tell you got like, yo, we got to, we got to check the game out.

Because you're not only, as you know, you're not only enjoying the basketball on the court, which culminated with the championship a couple of seasons ago. But you want to see Ellie. You want to see that show. And so to be able to have that opportunity to be able to call their games and to see the way that it's grown and blossomed or whatnot is a true joy for me. Yes, absolutely. Oh, my goodness. First of all, that's so beautiful and poetic the way you put it together. It's as if you work with words for a living. In your schedule, you always are like, yo, I'm a slice of this. I'm carving out of space for, you know, women's basketball as well. And you own this really special piece of real estate, historic piece of real estate in the basketball ecosystem.

But you mentioned Ellie. Like the two of us on these broadcasts, we're calling incredible basketball, but we're also trying to stay serious and not crack up while Ellie the elephant is literally carrying on. Eagle screen by John Paul Jones. And UNESCO fired up. And look at Ellie, the elephant. Ellie, the elephant is having to be held off the court, y'all. They are dragging her down the tunnel.

I love that you call it out in the moment because it took our camera. I don't know if the cameras on live television actually was able to get to Ellie. So I'm glad it went viral. Someone was able to get the shot and piece it together because it had to be referenced. And I'm so happy you referenced it because it was an emotional moment, you know, in this intense game. New York Liberty Games have this high energy and intensity to them. But that was like a pivotal moment. And, you know, we're talking about the seriousness of the call and Sabrina being upset.

And then we in the in the bright lime vest, oh, here is Ellie losing it. And that was, that was, that was certainly one of the highlights. Top five of the season. Absolutely hilarious. And, you know, as a broadcaster, you've got these quick decisions to make, right? So like, do I address? this can't and that also do I have a visual to support you know what I'm saying out of my mouth and does this matter in the scope of the game you know like is it trivial or you know is this

worth bringing up and also you want to make sure you're respecting the energy of the game right like where we are and like how serious the moment is but like so all of those decisions are happening fast and actually the only thing that didn't match up was because our cameras are a little bit limited at times or whatever like we weren't able to get the camera shot of it. But there was so much carrying on happening and it was an extended period of time. And we saw it and we're cracking up and it was like, we're going to talk our way through this.

So we were able to be visual with our language so that, because people tweeted and hit me on threads after and was like, we were wondering what y'all were talking about. And then somebody pieced it together from the arena. And then you've got this viral clip. That clip went viral. And it's still going viral. And it also kind of speaks to like Ellie. Like people like, I knew Ellie.

was from Brooklyn, the best mascot. Your mascot could never. Yes. Yes. We're talking about the most authentic, true to the community and the franchise mascot in professional sports. And so I love

Ellie and the concept behind Ellie and the people that brought Ellie alive and made it happen. Ellie's how old now? It's just not that old. And now we've got, we've got some imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. You know, we've got it. We've got some channel on that LA energy.

People are inspired. There are mascots that are inspired. Yes, yes. And we certainly welcome that, but don't forget, don't forget the blueprint. So it's just another added element to what makes attending a New York Liberty game so much fun. your favorite NBA players are back. And Draft King Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of the NBA, is the place to bet on NBA stars this season. New customers, download the Draft King Sportsbook app and use code Good Follow. That's code, good follow, bet five bucks, and get three months of NBA league pass, plus get $300 in bonus bets if your bet wins. In partnership with Draft Kings, the crown is yours. York, call 8778-8-8-Hope-N-Y or text Hope-N-Y 4667-369. In Connecticut, help is available for problem gambling, call 888-78-9-77-or or visit ccppG.org. Please play responsibly. On behalf of

Boot Hill Casinoin Resort in Kansas, pass-per-wager tax may apply in Illinois. 21 and over. Agent eligibility varies by jurisdiction, void in Ontario. Restrictions apply. Bet must win to receive bonus bets which expire in seven days. Minimumum odds required. NBA League pass auto-renews until canceled. Additional terms at DKNG.com. slash audio limited time offer. I want to zoom out real quick because, you know, obviously you do a great job on a local level with the New York Liberty, but on the national level, just recently, press release out of Amazon Prime, they've already announced their lead. basketball team, you know, broadcast team for WNBA games. And it's you as the lead play-by-play and the legend, Candace Parker.

And you'll see actually there's all these different announcements. Grady's part of the Amazon Prime group with the NBC group as well. I mean, it would have been prestigious to have one of these jobs. And I'm not even trying to be funny. But the fact that there's probably hundreds, thousands of play-by-play is out there. And, you know, the fact that both of these national networks, the new rights holders were like, listen, we'll make it work.

We want Grady too. You can have them too, if we can have them. And they both were like, we're going to do it. And then the Timberwolves were like, but you can't leave us. And so he's, you're still, and also you're so loyal. You didn't say, I'm out for national. You're like, I'm still going to do the Timberwolves. And then you're like, I could take a summer vacation, but no, ball is life.

I'm going to do the New York Liberty. So like, it's just, first of all, kudos to you because ball is life. I mean, also make sure you have time for like Pilates and peace, okay? But to come back to my question. To come back to it, you know, you were announced as the lead broadcast group for Amazon Prime's WNBA coverage will be you and Candace Parker. What does it mean you have such a big footprint now in women's basketball, including with the new rights holders? It's, it's everything. I'm still pinching myself.

It still hasn't quite sunk in. We've talked about this before. I was like, the W really means something to me. I talked about, you know, my time with the liberty and how that started, but I can go back further when I was in Indianapolis and I was working at this big, big radio station. I was still super young and the station had the Pacers, had the Colts. And once I got my foot in the door out of college, I was doing this small shift over the weekend. And then I got into this sports talk show that aired on the weekend. And I said, you know what?

I'm going to use a sports talk show to get me credentials to some of these sports events because I really feel like I'm going to be talking to professional athletes on a regular band. I feel this is going to work out at some point in my career. And I just want early practice on being able to interview professional athletes. And so I remember it was the start of the Pacer season and I sent an email out to Pacer's PR and asked to cover Pacer games. And they wrote back immediately and said, no.

I said, okay. And then here comes this summer. And I reach out to Indiana Fever PR. Shout out, Kevin Messenger. And it's like, yeah, come on. And so I go to an Indiana Fever game, watch the game, study the game. And then I go in the locker room. And I have a conversation with Tamika Ketchings.

I have a conversation with Katie Douglas, Tully Bebalakwa, Brian January. I'm talking to all these great players on this roster. A few years later, I become the PA announcer for the Pacers. And they say, well, before, and I was hired right at the start of the summer. And so they said, well, before you do Pacers, you're going to do the, you know, Indiana fever and kind of get your feet wet and that whole thing. And so I was excited about the opportunity.

And now I'm sitting at the scores table. and I'm announcing to make a catching's name and the team during player intros. And, you know, at the time, the W was in a different place than what it is right now, but it meant everything to me to be able to have that opportunity.

And I'm telling you for anybody in your audience who did not have the privilege of seeing to make a catchings play, she was one of the best two-way players the game has ever seen. She was a menace on the basketball court. She was just a joy to watch. And then, of course, that team eventually won a championship.

And I was able to be there and present and working that game when they won a title on their home floor. And so it professionally, it's held a special place in my heart. I remember being front and center watching the very first WNBA game with the Liberty and the sparks. And it just, I could, I could wait to watch that first game. And I think a lot of it was just my upbringing and being around, you know, strong, amazing women. And my mom was an ultra competitor. You know, I played some hoops in her day.

She would beat me and talk trash, which I got like when I was young. I didn't understand it. And so to go from watching that first game to working a little bit in the league, first as a PA announcer, doing play-by-play and then to have an opportunity to work with, you know, you and then now to have, to be honored with calling games on Amazon as well and working with Candace Parker and Amazon will have that WMBA finals in a few years. It's a long way around the question, but it's just, it's still sinking in, but it means a great deal to me. And I don't,

I don't take it for granted. And I cannot wait to get to call in. games again. That's a really beautiful journey you described, also coming back to your kind of roots from Indiana. You know, it's not like you just got plopped into women's basketball. This has been a long brew, you know, and journey and rise to this opportunity. So it's really dope. And like, so one of the things that I'm curious about is like, how would you describe your voice and style as a play-by-play? like a little bit of variety, but I do like a signature, something that people can look forward

to in those clutch moments. And mine is just simply cash. So that's kind of been, that's been my cash. Give me an example of using cash. You just nailed it. You just nailed it. But I'll throw it in the first half, though. If we're in a sequence and the game is moving and a team is on a run and there's a and there's what looks like a backbreaker three that leads to a timeout and the other team's got they, you know, get themselves together, I'll throw a cash in the middle of a big run. Sabrina had some cash moments over the, over the course of this past season two. So that was when I started doing play-by-play for the Timberwolves going back to 2022, I didn't have anything in mind, but I sit down every game and I have maybe 20 to 30 different ways to say a made basket,

20 to 30 different ways to say this is a misbasket pass, you know, different ways to describe passes, layups, blocks, like different, you know, it's just so I can vary my language. And so I went into my first season with the Timberwolves, I was like, I'm just going to mix it up. And then the first feedback that I started getting from, you know, I really like it when you say cash. And so I was like, oh, okay, I'll, I'll let that ride a little bit and save it for some, some bigger moments. and it's kind of stuck. And so it's worked for me on a regional level and now I'll get to introduce it slowly but surely

on a national level. I love the fact that you're not afraid to use the cash early too. You're not going to save it for the end of the game. You was like, if there's a cash money moment that happens in a sequence and it's the first quarter, you're getting cash. Because you don't think you're going to hear a bang

in the first quarter of the game. I don't know if you're going to get that, right? But you're like, I'm dropping a cash. You'll drop a cash. Yes, yes. If it's a hot sequence and a momentum building, you know, moment that was, I just had the, the Timberwolves and the Portland Trailblazers. And Clark goes down.

And the shark got a shoulder into his chest. Clark, diving on the floor. Conley scoops it up. Edwards for three. Cash. There's a good moment in the first half, you know, and it goes to own social media. Like you want to, when people see the clip, they don't, you know, not necessarily, oh, was this first quarter? Was this whatever? No, it's a play. It's a good play. And you want to put a big ball behind it. So I like that. Cash. Is that? Am I saying that right? Yeah, yeah. You got. You have developed a very nice relationship with Anthony Edwards as the play by play for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Some people are are trying to proclaim him as the face of the league. We're not even here to debate that. More, I want to. take it back to women's basketball and say on the WNBA side. Let's talk face of the league.

Who's the face of the league in your opinion right now? And who do you think got next? Love the question. And I love having this debate in the game. Although right now, Roz, I don't think this is up for debate. If anybody says the face of the league is not Asia Wilson, we have a problem. You've talked about this. We texted about this. She has a goat resume pre-30 years old. Like the things that she's able to do and the things that she's accomplished already on the basketball court. And all of her championship runs with the Las Vegas Aces have been unique.

But this one that she just had was really special with the start that they had. And I love the sequence during the, during the, during the, the celebration and they're taking photos. They're obviously feeling good and buzzed. But I think it was Asia which shout out. We just lost

about 53 points. Did they all laugh? Like, ah, 500 team. Like throwing all these different criticism and things that were thrown out and said about the team during the season when they were really struggling, people were questioning, oh, they're falling off. And

just never doubt. Never Dot Asia Wilson. She played out of her mind down the stretch. They went on that incredible run, won another chip, the MVP's. Yeah. The Player of the Year awards. She's a special player and should be appreciated. Like, I'm running out of fingers.

I feel like she won every award this year. And the aces, they kept receipts to your point. Yes. And I love that. And you should. And to find something to have a chip on your shoulder about, and especially when you've accomplished everything that, you know, You know, you could want to accomplish already and say, no, I'm still hungry for more.

Yeah. That's, that's, that's, that's, that's aspirational. So it's, it's definitely, um, Asia Wilson. Obviously, we want to see Caitlin healthy, uh, next season. I, I had so much fun watching Paige who, and, um, I'm in Minnesota right now where she, where she, where she came up and, and, and honed her skills. And she was such, she's, she's, she's just got a different energy when you watch her playing. And, um, and, and, and, um, and she's, she's, she's just got a different energy.

She can, I mean, she can put you in a blender with her handle. She's got a great mid-range game. She's got three, she's a three-level score. And I'm excited to see that if Dallas can continue to put a team around her. Yeah. And we can really see her shine in big moments. But I'm a fan of so many, so many players around the league. And there's a lot of hungry players who are saying, who are ready to take the medal and say, I got next.

And I love that. Yeah. Yeah. And you're going to be on the call for all of that on every level as well. So we can't wait to hear some cash from you, Grady. And you've been, you were cash on this. I'm going to use that all day. Cash.

I love it. But, Grady, thank you so much for your time. You know, good luck this NBA season. We'll catch you in the summer for W. Keep crushing it. And, you know, look, Beyonce. We're just, we're just, we're just living in your world. No, no, no, no.

It says, Julia. And thank you so much for. having me, Beyonce. I'm just happy to be a part of the Beehive. Thank you. Hopefully we can do this again soon.