Eric Collins was born and raised in Cleveland and began his broadcasting career in Chicago. But it’s in Charlotte where he’s truly found his home. The sports world has embraced his infectious energy and emphatic calls — even as he narrates the highs and lows of an NBA franchise still searching for consistency.
We spoke with Collins over the phone for nearly 40 minutes about his unique approach as a play-by-play commentator, his favorite moments, his new role with Amazon Prime Video, the player who excites him most for next season, and the one career goal he has yet to fulfill.
GOOD GOLLY MISS MOLLY! Join us in congratulating the legendary Eric Collins for being named the 2023 NSMA North Carolina Sportscaster of the Year! 🎙️👏 #LetsFly35 | @HornetsOnBally pic.twitter.com/OAwQY2sBaV
Every Hornets game begins the same way for Collins. Armed with team-colored Sharpies, he creates his own A3 game board filled with key information for both teams — it’s a ritual he cherishes.
One of Eric Collins’ many Hornets game-note sheets, meticulously prepared for each game he calls. Photo: ‘It’s on Like A Pot of Neckbones – Inside the Mind of Eric Collins’
“Every single one is special. They are templates for my expectation level and I never want to have anyone look back and see they’re not filled out,” Collins said.
Each board joins hundreds of others in his personal archive — a collection spanning baseball, football, basketball, and even a lone lacrosse match.
Collins preparing his game boards in the short documentary ‘It’s on Like A Pot of Neckbones – Inside the Mind of Eric Collins’ by director Joey Garfield.
When asked whether his game boards might one day make valuable collectibles for Hornets fans, Collins quickly shot down the idea. He recalled a time when a friend accidentally walked off with one.
“I thought ‘Oh my God, I need to have it back.’ So I actually sent him $15 in the mail and I said ‘put that thing in a FedEx envelope and get it back to me.’ I still have every one of them. So at some point, maybe someone’s gonna get their hands on them, but not while I’m vertical.”
The Art of the “Collins-isms,” Curry, and “Bouncing Bill”
Collins is known for his wild similes and colorful turns of phrase — from “falling apart like a $2 suitcase” to “tougher than walrus gristle.” These “Collins-isms” have become his signature, so much so that former Hornets sideline reporter Ashley ShahAhmadi, now part of the NBA on NBC team, once gifted him a list of her top 20 favorites.
Where does he come up with them?
“I’ve got a little list on my phone.”
It was announced in July that broadcast duo Eric Collins and Dell Curry will join Prime Video’s NBA coverage team, but it won’t affect their Hornets duties.
Collins jots ideas down wherever inspiration strikes — on his Peloton, the golf course, or while covering college football. “Crusty old defensive coordinators,” he said, are a particularly rich source.
Instinct and timing dictate when he deploys each phrase, but he credits “Bouncing Bill” McGrath, his stat man, for the occasional reminder.
“Every once in a while, he’ll come up and say ‘You haven’t said “flying like a toupee in a tornado” in a while.’ And I’ll say, ‘Oh my God, I love that one.’ I totally forgot about it. That stays in my head and then I might not use it that game, but two games later.”
To celebrate Eric Collins + Dell Curry bobblehead night vs. Luka and The Mavs on Saturday, we’re giving away a limited edition bobblehead (first 5,000 in attendance) on Instagram with some sweet Hornets apparel. 👉🏽 https://t.co/D0arV57dKN#AllFlypic.twitter.com/MCWEqQgJuv
“To me, he is the secret sauce. There’s so many times that you could be with the guy who played 16 years in the league and he could be standoffish,” Collins said. “He could be like ‘Eric, I don’t feel like being goofy today.’ But he’s never once made me feel that way. He has always respected me and been willing to engage.”
From Spectrum Center to Amazon Prime Time
Collins and Curry’s chemistry has earned national attention. This offseason, Amazon Prime Video signed both to its broadcast team — news that briefly panicked Hornets fans, who feared losing their duo.
“I had just got off the golf course and looked at my phone and realized that there had been a little bit of a storm,” Collins said, laughing. He quickly reassured fans that their Amazon commitments will be in addition to, not instead of, their Hornets duties.
Collins called the joint opportunity “very unique,” noting that most of Amazon’s hires were made individually.
“We’ve been together for 10 years, so we have a rhythm. It’s so hard to create rhythm,” he said. “I just think that’s a really smart move and I think we’re going to do great things because we’re going to be able to hit the ground running.”
They won’t always be paired on air, though — both were hired separately and will sometimes work solo. Still, Collins believes Amazon’s forward-thinking approach aligns well with his style.
Despite his new role calling NBA games for Prime Video and success calling his first official NFL game, Collins intends to stay in Charlotte for the long haul.
“They want to be the next version of the NBA broadcast. They’re not looking to… recreate something that once was — that’s attractive to me,” said Collins.
Despite his growing national profile, Collins insists he’s in Charlotte for the long haul.
“Charlotte has everything you’d ever want to do in Chicago, but the weather’s better — there’s less traffic. You have world-class sports that come through here. You have access to natural beauty everywhere you look. My family loved Chicago; I brought them down here kicking and screaming, but now no one would ever consider ever going back.”
Outlook for the Season Ahead
Asked who excites him most for the upcoming season, Collins doesn’t hesitate: rookie Kon Knueppel.
“I like guys who make free throws. I like guys with good, strong bodies who come from good stock,” said Collins. “He’s a Wisconsin kid, someone who’s from the Midwest. I lived in Cleveland and Chicago, there’s something about a Wisconsin kid.”
He’s also encouraged by the team’s depth, something the Hornets have lacked for several years.
“If someone is missing for a week or two, I don’t necessarily think it’s going to be an immediate consternation,” he said. “I think that this could be something where they can weather the storm a little bit better than years past.”
The Broadcasting Dream That Still Remains for Collins
Even with a decade behind the Hornets mic, a national gig, and even calling a Carolina Panthers game, Collins still has one dream left.
“I’ve always wanted to be the voice of the Cleveland Guardians… I’ve done five years of MLB with the LA Dodgers and Fox on-and-off for the last 15 years,” Collins said. “I’ve done a game in every single Major League ballpark except for Progressive Field. That’s the bucket list — I don’t think it’s going to happen.”
If he can’t call a Guardians game at some point, a Hornets playoff series might do — but one thing’s certain: Charlotte’s beloved broadcast duo isn’t going anywhere any time soon.
Eric Collins may be going Prime, but the Hornets’ beloved play-by-play announcer won’t be leaving Charlotte anytime soon
October 16, 2025
Eric Collins was born and raised in Cleveland and began his broadcasting career in Chicago. But it’s in Charlotte where he’s truly found his home. The sports world has embraced his infectious energy and emphatic calls — even as he narrates the highs and lows of an NBA franchise still searching for consistency.
We spoke with Collins over the phone for nearly 40 minutes about his unique approach as a play-by-play commentator, his favorite moments, his new role with Amazon Prime Video, the player who excites him most for next season, and the one career goal he has yet to fulfill.
Collins’ Pre-Game Routine and Game Boards
Every Hornets game begins the same way for Collins. Armed with team-colored Sharpies, he creates his own A3 game board filled with key information for both teams — it’s a ritual he cherishes.
“Every single one is special. They are templates for my expectation level and I never want to have anyone look back and see they’re not filled out,” Collins said.
Each board joins hundreds of others in his personal archive — a collection spanning baseball, football, basketball, and even a lone lacrosse match.
When asked whether his game boards might one day make valuable collectibles for Hornets fans, Collins quickly shot down the idea. He recalled a time when a friend accidentally walked off with one.
“I thought ‘Oh my God, I need to have it back.’ So I actually sent him $15 in the mail and I said ‘put that thing in a FedEx envelope and get it back to me.’ I still have every one of them. So at some point, maybe someone’s gonna get their hands on them, but not while I’m vertical.”
The Art of the “Collins-isms,” Curry, and “Bouncing Bill”
Collins is known for his wild similes and colorful turns of phrase — from “falling apart like a $2 suitcase” to “tougher than walrus gristle.” These “Collins-isms” have become his signature, so much so that former Hornets sideline reporter Ashley ShahAhmadi, now part of the NBA on NBC team, once gifted him a list of her top 20 favorites.
Where does he come up with them?
“I’ve got a little list on my phone.”
Collins jots ideas down wherever inspiration strikes — on his Peloton, the golf course, or while covering college football. “Crusty old defensive coordinators,” he said, are a particularly rich source.
Instinct and timing dictate when he deploys each phrase, but he credits “Bouncing Bill” McGrath, his stat man, for the occasional reminder.
“Every once in a while, he’ll come up and say ‘You haven’t said “flying like a toupee in a tornado” in a while.’ And I’ll say, ‘Oh my God, I love that one.’ I totally forgot about it. That stays in my head and then I might not use it that game, but two games later.”
His broadcast partner — Hornets legend Dell Curry — enjoys them too.
“I try and do it when it fits — you don’t want to shoehorn it in too much.”
Collins lights up when speaking about Curry, his broadcast analyst for the past decade.
“To me, he is the secret sauce. There’s so many times that you could be with the guy who played 16 years in the league and he could be standoffish,” Collins said. “He could be like ‘Eric, I don’t feel like being goofy today.’ But he’s never once made me feel that way. He has always respected me and been willing to engage.”
From Spectrum Center to Amazon Prime Time
Collins and Curry’s chemistry has earned national attention. This offseason, Amazon Prime Video signed both to its broadcast team — news that briefly panicked Hornets fans, who feared losing their duo.
“I had just got off the golf course and looked at my phone and realized that there had been a little bit of a storm,” Collins said, laughing. He quickly reassured fans that their Amazon commitments will be in addition to, not instead of, their Hornets duties.
Collins called the joint opportunity “very unique,” noting that most of Amazon’s hires were made individually.
“We’ve been together for 10 years, so we have a rhythm. It’s so hard to create rhythm,” he said. “I just think that’s a really smart move and I think we’re going to do great things because we’re going to be able to hit the ground running.”
They won’t always be paired on air, though — both were hired separately and will sometimes work solo. Still, Collins believes Amazon’s forward-thinking approach aligns well with his style.
“They want to be the next version of the NBA broadcast. They’re not looking to… recreate something that once was — that’s attractive to me,” said Collins.
Despite his growing national profile, Collins insists he’s in Charlotte for the long haul.
“Charlotte has everything you’d ever want to do in Chicago, but the weather’s better — there’s less traffic. You have world-class sports that come through here. You have access to natural beauty everywhere you look. My family loved Chicago; I brought them down here kicking and screaming, but now no one would ever consider ever going back.”
Outlook for the Season Ahead
Asked who excites him most for the upcoming season, Collins doesn’t hesitate: rookie Kon Knueppel.
“I like guys who make free throws. I like guys with good, strong bodies who come from good stock,” said Collins. “He’s a Wisconsin kid, someone who’s from the Midwest. I lived in Cleveland and Chicago, there’s something about a Wisconsin kid.”
He’s also encouraged by the team’s depth, something the Hornets have lacked for several years.
“If someone is missing for a week or two, I don’t necessarily think it’s going to be an immediate consternation,” he said. “I think that this could be something where they can weather the storm a little bit better than years past.”
The Broadcasting Dream That Still Remains for Collins
Even with a decade behind the Hornets mic, a national gig, and even calling a Carolina Panthers game, Collins still has one dream left.
“I’ve always wanted to be the voice of the Cleveland Guardians… I’ve done five years of MLB with the LA Dodgers and Fox on-and-off for the last 15 years,” Collins said. “I’ve done a game in every single Major League ballpark except for Progressive Field. That’s the bucket list — I don’t think it’s going to happen.”
If he can’t call a Guardians game at some point, a Hornets playoff series might do — but one thing’s certain: Charlotte’s beloved broadcast duo isn’t going anywhere any time soon.
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