The annual Columbus Day Parade in Cleveland was held in Little Italy on Monday October 12, 2026. Former Cleveland Cavs Head Coach and NBA Hall of Fame Broadcaster Mike Fratello served as Grand Marshal of the parade.
Mike Fratello, nicknamed the Czar of the Telestrator, is an American sports broadcaster and former NBA head coach with 667 career wins over 16 seasons. He led the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Memphis Grizzlies to 11 playoff appearances, earning NBA Coach of the Year in 1986 and the 2022 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award. Fratello also coached Ukraine’s national team to historic success, including their first FIBA World Cup berth in 2014. A two-time Emmy-winning analyst, he has worked for NBC, TNT, YES Network, and covers Clippers and Cavaliers games.
Here he tells us what his Italian heritage means to him.
