This week, we finally saw several major NBA hires announced at Amazon Prime Video as the streamer prepares to begin an 11-year venture with the league next season. Those announcements were headlined by Steve Nash and Dwyane Wade, but Amazon wasn’t the only future NBA broadcaster to make some big announcements.
At the Kentucky Derby, NBC formally announced the addition of Carmelo Anthony as a studio analyst. Though with next NBA preseason just five months away, both new rights-holders, as well as incumbent ESPN, still have a lot unsettled in the booth.
The clear mission for both Prime Video and NBC/Peacock, especially in the studio, is to bring in famous young former athletes. As of now, Amazon boasts Wade, Nash, Candace Parker and Udonis Haslem while NBC’s coverage will be led by Anthony and Jamal Crawford behind lead analyst Reggie Miller.
Two partners, however, appear to be leaving space for more analysts if the right person comes available. Amazon has not named a top game analyst, while ESPN has not committed to a permanent top booth since it laid off Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson two years ago.
There is one chess piece left on the board who fits the “famous young former athlete” mold perfectly. That is Richard Jefferson, scheduled to call his first NBA Finals for ESPN and ABC this summer alongside Mike Breen and Doris Burke. Since he debuted on YES Network almost a decade ago, Jefferson has drawn praise from fans and industry types for his focused insights and smooth charm. Jefferson is reportedly a free agent this summer and would likely be near the top of all three league partners’ list of color commentary candidates.
But the other dominoes could be older broadcasting vets who are currently in the NBA coaching ranks.
Doc Rivers, who is currently the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks as the franchise faces possibly trading cornerstone superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, could decide to leave Milwaukee if the team rebuilds. Last year, Rivers famously spurned ESPN and left his perch as the network’s top game analyst to return to coaching. After another ugly playoff exit and an unfortunate injury to star guard Damian Lillard, the Bucks could be in for a reset.
Executives would always worry that Rivers, even at 63, could return to coaching. It was the same fear ESPN had for most of Jeff Van Gundy’s tenure in the same role. Maybe that eliminates ESPN as a suitor for Rivers’ talents, but he is worth risking instability for.
During his half-season at ESPN and The Ringer during the 2023-24 season, Rivers was incisive and honest, the rare coach who is experienced enough to be comfortable criticizing his peers while also bringing in recent perspective from competing in the league. Between coaching the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics two decades ago, Rivers also called the NBA Finals for ABC alongside Al Michaels. Rivers would immediately take NBC or Amazon to a new level with his understanding of the modern NBA coupled with a point of view that is respected and well-connected.
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The bigger catch would be Steve Kerr. There are no indications Kerr would leave the Golden State Warriors, but his coaching contract reportedly ends in 2026. Kerr, like Rivers, drew rave reviews during previous stints calling games. This week, Andrew Marchand of The Athletic threw out Kerr’s name while discussing the NBA broadcast openings left to be filled.
From 2003-07 and again from 2010-14, Kerr called college and pro games for TNT. Known for his worldly smarts and vast basketball experience, Kerr immediately catapulted to the top crews for the NBA playoffs and NCAA men’s tournament. The same intellect that helped him reinvent basketball with the Warriors and become a headline-maker at press conferences captivated television audiences during his run at TNT.
Perhaps like Sean McVay or Mike Tomlin in the NFL, Kerr will never actually come back to television. He could use these types of rumors as leverage to get more money from Golden State ownership. The job will be there whenever he wants it, and he is just 59.
To be clear, the networks would be wise to wait for these two. With Miller and Mike Tirico, NBC has two famous basketball figures who would make fans smarter and bring a sense of authority to the broadcast. The other two networks might be best advised to exercise some patience in order to find that.
