ESPN will debut a new NBA Countdown team during “premiere week” for its 20th season of NBA coverage. The new show will feature a high-profile, veteran team of analysts, including Stephen A. Smith, Curt Gowdy Media Award Winner Michael Wilbon and Jalen Rose, who returns for his 10th season of NBA Countdown. The show will be hosted by Mike Greenberg. The team will debut at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday, October 20, prior to ESPN’s season-opening NBA doubleheader.
Additionally, Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Earvin “Magic” Johnson will frequently appear as an analyst and will join the team for marquee events throughout the regular season, NBA Playoffs and NBA Finals.
The new team will serve as the on-site pregame and halftime show of the NBA Finals on ABC. The show will generally emanate from ESPN’s Seaport Studios in New York, N.Y. with select telecasts originating from ESPN’s Los Angeles Production Center. NBA Countdown generally begins on Wednesdays and Fridays at 7 p.m. on ESPN, Saturdays at 8 p.m. on ABC and Sunday afternoons on ABC. All shows are available to stream on the ESPN App.
Beginning in February, once the regular NBA on ABC package is underway, ESPN SportsCenter anchor Michael Eaves will host the Wednesday editions of NBA Countdown on ESPN. The show will be based at ESPN’s Los Angeles Production Center with a trio of analysts – Richard Jefferson, Kendrick Perkins and WNBA star Chiney Ogwumike. Smith, Wilbon, Rose, Johnson and Greenberg will continue to handle Friday, Saturday and Sunday shows.
ESPN Senior NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski and The Undefeated’s Marc Spears will regularly contribute to all editions of NBA Countdown. Wojnarowski will provide breaking news updates and Spears will contribute in-depth essays and profiles of the game’s most compelling stars. Additionally, Malika Andrews, who was recently named host of ESPN’s new weekday show NBA Today, will contribute exclusive, in-depth interviews with top stars and key personnel from around the league.
What do you think?
I think Rose is great, we will have to see about the others. There might be only so much Stephen A. Smith one can take in a day.
Flip the page for Stephen A. speaking on the upcoming season.