Kent Pavelka honored with first bobblehead as Huskers reach Sweet 16
Talking bobblehead features longtime radio voice’s signature calls during historic season
Press release
LINCOLN, Neb. — The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum has unveiled a bobblehead honoring longtime Nebraska men’s basketball radio voice Kent Pavelka as the team makes its first Sweet 16 appearance in program history.
The talking bobblehead features several of Pavelka’s signature calls and is officially licensed through the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
According to the release, the bobbleheads are priced at $35, with an $8 flat-rate shipping charge, and are expected to ship in September. Each one will be individually numbered.
The figure shows Pavelka wearing a headset and red sweater with his signature bow tie, seated courtside at a table with his name and Nebraska’s logo.
The announcement comes after Nebraska’s 74-72 win over Vanderbilt in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Braden Frager scored on a driving layup with 2.2 seconds remaining, and a last-second shot by Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner rimmed out at the buzzer.
“Oh my God, it’s no good!” Pavelka said on the radio call. “Nebraska to the Sweet 16!”
Pavelka also called Nebraska’s first NCAA Tournament win earlier in the week, a 76-47 victory over Troy.
Pavelka, 76, has been the voice of Nebraska men’s basketball since 1974. A Lincoln native, he graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and began his broadcasting career at KHUB in Fremont before joining KFAB in Omaha.
Nebraska (28-6) will face Big Ten rival Iowa (23-12) in the Sweet 16 on Thursday at the Toyota Center in Houston.