Coaching staff reports Vance Dawson, beloved voice of Federal Way basketball, has died

Golden pipes, a silky smooth voice and clever lines that put smiles on the faces of basketball fans young and old.

Vance Dawson — the voice of Federal Way hoops and public address announcer for local basketball tournaments from Seattle to Tacoma and everywhere in between — has died, according to Federal Way’s coaching staff.

Dawson will be remembered for his passion for the local hoops scene and in his words, bringing his own flavor to calls. Players who banked in shots off the backboard were “window shopping.” When current NBA forward Jaden McDaniels played for Federal Way and threw down a highlight reel dunk, Dawson would often remark, “JMAC Airlines, the official airlines of Federal Way High School.” When current NBA All-Star and Atlanta Hawk Dejounte Murray — who played his high school basketball at Rainier Beach — got up for a breakaway dunk at Jamal Crawford’s Pro-Am Crawsover, Dawson quipped that Murray had “more bounce than my last paycheck.”

The ideas were endless for Dawson, a regular on the mic at the Crawsover, Federal Way basketball games and the WIAA 3A and 4A state basketball tournaments at the Tacoma Dome. He was always cooking up something new for a specific player or a big game.

Anyone who spent some time around Dawson got the sense that he probably would’ve done the job for free. He loved being around the game and talking with coaches, players, refs and fans. When was on the mic, he was in his element.

Reaction poured out on Twitter with the news of Dawson’s death.

“Man I can’t believe it!,” wrote Timberline boys basketball coach Allen Thomas. “Rest in Peace Vance. This one hurts bad. Thank you for all of the great memories, and always being in my corner no matter what. Damn.”

Former Union coach Blake Conley called the news “tragic.”

“Such a positive and uplifting person to all he encountered,” Conley wrote. “He bled Fed Way blue but always went out of his way to talk and compliment other programs. 2nd to none on the mic. So sad to hear this.”

Tari Eason, who played at Federal Way and currently plays for the Houston Rockets, wrote “This one hurts man I’m ngl Rest in Paradise Vance” in a tweet.