Big Ten broadcast anchor Stephen Bardo at Pinckneyville library Aug. 28
Stephen Bardo broadcast sports anchor and author of "The Flyin Ilini" will be at the Pinckneyville Public Library for a book signing on Aug. 28 at 6 p.m. Bardo will speak about his book, which reflects on the 1989 season when the University of Illinois made it to the final four in basketball. Bardo will have copies of his book available for purchase and he is open to photo opportunities.
Stephen Bardo began his broadcasting career as the color analyst for the Illini radio network covering the University of Illinois men's basketball team during the 2000-2001 season. In 2002, Stephen joined CBS 2 Chicago as a sports reporter covering all professional, collegiate, and high school sports in the Chicago-land area. His work at CBS 2 Chicago included an Emmy for his reporting on the Chicago Marathon. In 2005 Bardo joined CBS Sports as a college basketball color analyst during the 1st and 2nd rounds of the NCAA men's basketball tournament.
In July of 2005 Stephen joined ESPN as a national college basketball analyst. He was also a frequent contributor to the morning debate show First Take on ESPN2. Last season Bardo joined the Big Ten Network and Fox 1 network as a college basketball analyst.
Upon graduating from the University of Illinois, Bardo was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in the 1990 NBA Draft. He went on to have a 10-year career with stops in the NBA, CBA and overseas in France, Italy, Japan, Spain and Venezuela. Right after the draft, Bardo played in the CBA, leading Quad City to Game 7 of the CBA Championship. In the NBA, he had stints with the Detroit Pistons, Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs.
As the starting point guard all four years at Illinois, Bardo helped the Fighting Illini reach the NCAA Tournament each season. During his career, he was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and was
A two-time all-conference team member. In 1989, his team nicknamed the Flyin' Illini reached the Final Four. A native of Carbondale, Ill., Bardo graduated from Illinois in 1990 with a degree speech communications. Stephen was an all-state point guard during his junior and senior years at Carbondale Community High School.