David Locke grew up in California, but he spent enough time on ski vacations and with his father who had business connections in Utah that he became a die-hard Jazz fan as a youngster.
"I remember driving home from Jazz games listening to 'Hot' Rod (Hundley) talking about 'Gentle' Ben Poquette and 'The Franchise' Jeff Wilkins and saying to my dad at a very young age that that's what I want to do," said Locke.
And now the veteran radio broadcaster will be doing exactly that during the 2009-10 season. Locke was introduced as the second radio voice in Utah Jazz history at a press conference at the team's practice facility Monday afternoon.
"We are very excited to have David on board as the radio voice of the Utah Jazz," said team president Randy Rigby. "Following a legend like 'Hot' Rod Hundley is not an easy task, but we are confident we found the best equipped person for the job."
Hundley retired as the radio play-by-play voice of the Jazz following last season after more than 40 years as a broadcaster. Hundley had been the only voice the New Orleans/Utah Jazz had ever had until four years ago when the team split up its radio and TV simulcast and hired Craig Bolerjack to do TV play-by-play.
Locke spoke to Hundley prior to Monday's press conference and was given some advice.
"The number one thing (Hundley) told me is 'to be yourself,' " said Locke.
That advice may seem a bit hypocritical since Hundley never denied "borrowing" many of his catchphrases from legendary Lakers' voice Chick Hearn. But Hundley joked that he was the only one who could get away with copying someone else.
"(Hundley) said to create your own style," said Locke. "He said, 'You are going to call a lot of games and you are going to get better every single game you call.' He was incredibly gracious and he was wonderful. It's been a huge honor to be able to work with him for the past two years and the time previously."
Hundley, who has homes in both Utah and Arizona, was in town on Monday but didn't participate in the press conference because "as Rod and I talked about the situation, we both agreed that this was David's opportunity to be in the sun," Rigby said. "Rod, out of respect for David, wanted him to be able to enjoy this and have this moment for him and his family."
Locke, 38, is currently the host of 1320 AM's afternoon drive-time sports talk show, "Locked On Sports." He will continue doing that show while serving as the radio play-by-play voice of the Jazz.
"I did play-by-play for the Sonics for a year and I really missed having the radio show," Locke said. "I think it will be good. The preparation will overlap and it will help make for an incredible radio show."
Locke got his professional start in Utah, hosting a morning show on 106.5 FM (The Score) in the early 1990s shortly after graduating from college in Los Angeles. He also hosted a show on 570 AM and then became program director of 1320 KFAN in 1995, where he had his own show and hosted the Jazz pregame, halftime and postgame shows.
Locke moved to Seattle in 1998, spending eight years as the host of "Sonics Talk." He was the radio voice of the Sonics during the 2006-07 season and also worked for seven seasons as the play-by-play announcer for the WNBA's Seattle Storm. In addition, he's called games for the University of Washington, the Utah Starzz and filled in for Hundley for a Jazz game last season in Toronto.
Locke returned from Seattle to Utah two years ago.
"It's humbling and exciting," said Locke. "It's one thing to be fortunate to get one of these 30 jobs (in the NBA) that exist. But to get the one for the team that you were a fan of as a kid is really more than I can swallow."
e-mail: lojo@desnews.com