Todd Graffagnini has called Tulane sports since 1992, including men’s basketball and football since 2007, but on Tuesday, his move to the professional sports landscape became official.
The New Orleans Pelicans announced Graffagnini will become the team’s radio play-by-play voice for the 2019-20 season and beyond, replacing Sean Kelley, who is moving to a national outlet and will transition into his new role at some point this summer. Kelley had been New Orleans’ play-by-play voice since 2005, but in the past few years had worked occasionally for ESPN Radio to help call NBA, NFL and MLB games.
In his new role, Graffagnini will join John DeShazier on WRNO radio (99.5 FM) as the voices of the start of the Zion Williamson era in the Crescent City.
“I cannot tell you how honored, proud and excited I am to usher in this new era of Pelicans basketball to the entire community of New Orleans, the Gulf South and our loyal fans around the world,” Graffagnini said in a team release. “I would like to thank Mrs. (Gayle) Benson, Dennis Lauscha and Greg Bensel for giving me this extraordinary opportunity in my hometown. I would also like to thank the Tulane Athletics administration, head coaches, staff and student-athletes that I’ve had the pleasure of working with for 27 years.”
The Jesuit High School and Loyola University grad also served as a studio host for the New Orleans Hornets from 2002-05, the same time frame Kelley preceded Graffagnini as Tulane’s football and men’s basketball broadcaster. The new voice of the Pelicans also worked as a play-by-play and color analyst for the New Orleans Zephyrs, the city’s minor league baseball team, in 2001.
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