Neil Everett

Early life and education

Everett was born in Portland, Oregon and raised in Spokane, Washington. He was a varsity starter in football and basketball at Lewis and Clark High School, named to the all-city team in football at guard, and also played on the defensive line. He graduated in 1980.

Everett attended Willamette University in Salem before transferring to the University of Oregon in Eugene, where he joined Beta Theta Pi with the Gamma Sigma chapter, and graduated in 1984.

Career

Everett started out in broadcasting at KCST-FM in Florence on the central Oregon Coast, west of Eugene. He left the media field and moved to Hawaii, where he worked 15 years as an athletic administrator at Hawaii Pacific University. While still working full-time at HPU, Everett was hired at local ABC affiliate KITV, first as a news writer, then assignment editor, and finally as a sports anchor.{{cite web

In April 1999, Everett interviewed with ESPN on the recommendation of a friend, but was not hired. The following year, ESPN called him for another audition, and this time he was hired as an anchor on ESPNews.{{cite web

On October 11, 2021, the Portland Trail Blazers announced the addition of Everett to their broadcast team for the 2021-22 season. He served as the Television Studio Host for "pre, half and post-game coverage for most Trail Blazers road games" from 2021 to 2025, according to the Trail Blazers' website.

Personal life

While he was a student at Oregon in 1983, Everett's mother Jackie, a high school teacher, died from cancer at age 45. The use of his middle name as a professional surname is a tribute to his mother, a UO alumna and Astoria native, who would call him by his first and middle name when his behavior was less than optimal.

Everett's stepfather, Dave Robertson, was a longtime high school basketball coach at Shadle Park and won the state title in 1981, led on the court by Mark Rypien. A math teacher, Robertson later coached at Gonzaga Prep.

References

References

1. Borsch, Ferd . (1998-05-12). "Switch of Venues in Its 51st Year Begins New Era". [[The Honolulu Advertiser]].
2. . ["Neil Everett Morfitt: 2020 Hall of Achievement Inductee"](https://journalism.uoregon.edu/neil-everett-morfitt).
3. . (2021-07-06). "LC Grad Everett to Continue as Anchor on SportsCenter". *[[The Spokesman-Review]]*.
4. (2021-07-25). "Locally: Spokane's Neil Everett signs multiyear extension with ESPN".
5. Comments@oregonlive.com. (2017-03-31). "How does ESPN's Neil Everett, Oregon grad and Spokane native, feel about NCAA Final Four?".
6. Degerman, Eric. (December 24, 2003). "Spokane's ever-so-smooth Everett excels on ESPN". Tri-City Herald.
7. (February 5, 1979). "Bench-warmer saluted". Spokane Daily Chronicle.
8. Goodwin, Dale. (November 18, 1979). "Stars: GSL had super players, if not super teams". Spokesman-Review.
9. Derrick, Merle. (November 27, 1979). "Mark Rypien, Martin top Chronicle all-city". Spokane Daily Chronicle.
10. (October 20, 1979). "Panther on the loose". Spokesman-Review.
11. Pignolet, Jennifer. (April 30, 2013). "Spokane native Neil Everett steps up". Spokesman-Review.
12. Eggers, Kerry. (January 17, 2013). "This is Neil Everett: from Oregon to ESPN". Portland Tribune.
13. "Facts and History about Beta".
14. (June 28, 1990). "Morfitt-Gullickson". Spokesman-Review.
15. McCarthy, Michael. (2023-06-08). "'SportsCenter' Anchor Neil Everett Leaving ESPN After 23 Years".
16. (2021-10-11). "Trail Blazers Announce Addition of SportsCenter Legend and Oregon Native Neil Everett to Broadcast Team".
17. "Trail Blazers Broadcasting".
18. (October 22, 1983). "Jacqueline K. Robertson". Spokane Chronicle.
19. Derrick, Merle. (March 16, 1981). "Just the facts: Shadle Park is No. 1". Spokane Daily Chronicle.
20. Blanchette, John. (October 6, 2009). "GSL coaching legend dies". Spokesman-Review.
21. Weaver, Dan. (June 4, 1988). "Robertson can't wait for another court challenge". Spokesman-Review.