With next season marking the beginning of the NBA’s new 11-year media deals with ESPN, NBC and Amazon, here is a look at some analysts who may be in line for some elevated roles on NBA telecasts.
It is safe to expect to hear play-by-play announcers Mike Breen, Kevin Harlan, Ian Eagle, Mike Tirico and Noah Eagle on the call for the biggest national broadcasts. But with recent departures like Doc Rivers and JJ Redick to coaching, plus ESPN’s stunning decision last summer to let go of both Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson, the cupboard of lead analysts has been left bare, creating opportunities for some deserving broadcasters to take on more prominent roles.
Here’s a list of analysts I would call first:
Jim Jackson
Every time I listen to Jackson call college basketball games with Gus Johnson or Brian Anderson, I wonder why he hasn’t been elevated as a number-one NBA voice.
Jackson, 54, has a free and easy style. He calls a game with a coolness, like he’s sitting in a recliner enjoying a glass of wine and a cigar. But he’s prepared, observant and conversational. It’s an approach Jackson showcases on his new podcast, The Jim Jackson Show.
Catchphrases work for some but Jackson doesn’t force them. He doesn’t lean on cliches and his criticisms are firm, but not harsh.
Jackson called the wild 2022 NCAA Tournament second round game between North Carolina and Baylor, when with the score tied at 80 in the final seconds of regulation, UNC guard RJ Davis fired up a long and contested three-pointer with about two seconds left. After the jumper clanged off the rim and time expired, Jackson gave a concise breakdown of what the Tar Heels had done wrong.
“But I thought they waited too late,” Jackson said during the replay. “Now, you don’t have a chance for a second shot opportunity. You want to attack at about eight seconds. You get the shot up and then you’ve got a chance.” His end of regulation assessment was direct but not vicious.
Jackson’s NBA career may not have been as legendary as that of Reggie Miller or Grant Hill, and no, he doesn’t bring the celebrity of a recently-retired legend like Dwyane Wade. But Jackson, a college basketball Hall-of-Famer, offers something all sports fans should appreciate: he’s thoughtful. Jackson is confident but not brash; his takes are opinionated but not outrageous. And he’s informative but not condescending.
Jamal Crawford
Crawford sparkled in the NBA on TNT Tuesday studio and felt right at home in the booth with Kevin Harlan and Reggie Miller during the 2024 NBA Playoffs. The former three-time Sixth Man of the Year has expressed a desire to continue calling games, and for good reason. He announces with zest, and he speaks the language of a recent NBA player.
While it’s a bit premature to view Crawford as an “A” team analyst, he’d be a smart choice on a “B” crew in a two or three-person booth. If off of national TV this season, he will soon make his debut as a fill-in analyst for MSG Network Knicks games.
Tim Legler
Legler’s fabulous work on SportsCenter has been rewarded with a new contract and a regular slate of games. There may not be a smarter analyst at ESPN. He breaks the game down cogently. In an industry — and league — filled with hot take artists, Legler chooses to enlighten.
As he’s proven by his numerous appearances on “First Take,” Legler won’t shy away from a strong opinion. But he never cheats the audience. The goal is always to elucidate and viewers are the better for it.
ESPN has not yet settled on its booth for this season’s NBA Finals. Legler reportedly is in the mix, but not a favorite. If Legler doesn’t land on the “A” crew with Breen and Doris Burke, ESPN would be wise to give the 57-year-old its “B” package of games alongside Ryan Ruocco, ensuring fans get to hear Legler’s bright and measured analysis for years to come.
