ESPN’s Chauncey Billups is reportedly adding a new role with the Los Angeles Clippers. Also: ESPN has tapped Keith Olbermann and Hannah Storm for its new Monday SportsCenter; Josh McCown is ditching his ESPN gig to return to the football field; former Turner president David Levy could be headed to the Brooklyn Nets.
Billups joining Clippers as analyst
ESPN NBA analyst Chauncey Billups is joining the Los Angeles Clippers as a game analyst, the New York Post and Los Angeles Times reported Friday. The move coincides with Billups’ expected departure from ESPN’s NBA Countdown studio show. Per the Post and Richard Deitsch of The Athletic, Billups will continue on ESPN as a game analyst.
Billups joined ESPN in 2014 and had been part of the Countdown cast since 2016. He is the second ESPN analyst to join the Clippers broadcast team in the past three years. Bruce Bowen left ESPN altogether to join the Clippers in 2017, but was let go after one season for criticizing the team’s prized free agent target, Kawhi Leonard. [NYP 8.16, LAT 8.16, Deitsch/Twitter 8.16]
Olbermann, Storm, to anchor new SC
The Big Lead reported Friday that Keith Olbermann and Hannah Storm will host the new 4 PM ET SportsCenter airing Mondays during the NFL season. The hosts were originally believed to be Elle Duncan and Michael Eaves. Olbermann and Storm, who co-anchored the 1997 World Series together on NBC, have been regular fill-ins on ESPN’s 6 PM ET SportsCenter. [The Big Lead 8.16]
McCown leaving ESPN for Eagles
ESPN NFL analyst Josh McCown is coming out of retirement to join the Philadelphia Eagles, but expects to rejoin ESPN after the NFL season, ESPN.com reported Saturday. McCown made his ESPN debut in June and was expected to serve as a studio analyst for NFL Live, “Get Up!,” and SportsCenter.
McCown will not be the only recent ESPN analyst on an NFL roster this season. Jason Witten left ESPN’s Monday Night Football to rejoin the Cowboys in February. [ESPN.com 8.17]
Fmr. Turner president Levy could join Nets
Former Turner Broadcasting president David Levy, who left the company earlier this year as part of restructuring under new corporate owner AT&T, is a serious candidate to become CEO of the NBA Brooklyn Nets, ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Twitter Friday.
Levy served as president of Turner Broadcasting from 2013 until March and previously ran Turner Sports from 2003-13. In both roles, he was a significant figure in Turner’s relationship with the NBA. [Wojnarowski/Twitter 8.16]
