• Jay Bilas, Tim Legler, Michael Grady Join ESPN’s Game Coverage

ESPN today announced its NBA game and studio commentators, as well as its NBA reporters, for the start of the 2024-25 season. The upcoming season marks ESPN’s 23rd consecutive year broadcasting NBA games, dating back to the 2002-03 campaign. Among the deep talent roster listed below are six Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame media members, including broadcasters Mike Breen, Doris Burke, Jay Bilas and Hubie Brown and writers Michael Wilbon and Marc Spears.

Play-by-play

Mike Breen, who has called a record 19 NBA Finals, will continue to lead ESPN’s NBA play-by-play coverage in the season ahead. In addition, Ryan Ruocco, Dave Pasch and Mark Jones return in their play-by-play roles. Michael Grady will join ESPN’s NBA coverage as a play-by-play voice this season.

Analysts

Doris Burke continues her pioneering journey as a top game analyst. This past June, Burke became the first woman to serve as a game analyst for a major men’s team sports championship event by calling the NBA Finals. Other returning game analysts include Richard Jefferson, Bob Myers, Stephanie White and Hubie Brown. In addition, ESPN NBA studio analyst Tim Legler and ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas will expand their roles and serve as NBA game analysts throughout the season. Cory Alexander, who has called games on ESPN Radio and NBA Summer League, will also expand his role and call regular season NBA games on ESPN.

Sideline reporters

Veteran ESPN NBA sideline reporters Lisa Salters and Cassidy Hubbarth will continue to serve in their roles for marquee NBA games and events throughout the regular season and NBA Playoffs. Katie George, Monica McNutt, Jorge Sedano and Angel Gray, who have all joined the ESPN NBA sideline reporting team within the past two seasons, will also return in their roles.

Studio teams

Malika Andrews returns for her second season as the host of NBA Countdown on ABC. Andrews will continue to be joined by analysts Stephen A. Smith and Bob Myers. Kendrick Perkins will expand his role to serve as an NBA Countdown analyst on both ABC and ESPN. Michael Wilbon and new ESPN Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania will also make regular contributions to the show. NBA Countdown on ABC airs prior to marquee NBA live events on Christmas, NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC, the NBA Sunday Showcase and the NBA Playoffs and NBA Finals.

The ESPN editions of NBA Countdown (shows generally on Wednesdays and Fridays) will also continue to be hosted by Andrews. She will be joined by a team of analysts, including Chiney Ogwumike, Kendrick Perkins and Richard Jefferson. Brian Windhorst and Tim Legler will also contribute to coverage.

NBA Today, ESPN’s weekday afternoon year-round studio show, enters its fourth season, hosted by Malika Andrews and featuring analysts Kendrick Perkins, Richard Jefferson and Chiney Ogwumike. Reporters Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst as well as analyst Tim Legler will also make regular appearances.

Earlier this week, ESPN announced Shams Charania has become its new Senior NBA Insider. Charania will report news and information on NBA Countdown and NBA Today, as well as other ESPN news and information platforms. For more information on Charania joining ESPN, visit ESPNPressRoom.com.

Charania joins a robust list of ESPN NBA insiders and writers reporting for ESPN.com and ESPN+ who will also make select television appearances. The reporting roster includes Kendra Andrews, Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Jonathan Givony, Chris Herring, Baxter Holmes, Tim MacMahon, Bobby Marks, Dave McMenamin, Kevin Pelton, Ramona Shelburne, Brian Windhorst, Jeremy Woo, Michael C. Wright and Ohm Youngmisuk.

ESPN Radio

ESPN Radio will provide national audio coverage of the NBA all season long, culminating with the NBA Finals, led by play-by-play voice Marc Kestecher and analyst P.J. Carlesimo. Sean Kelley and Mike Couzens will also describe the action for ESPN Radio’s broadcasts with Jorge Sedano reporting on marquee games.

ESPN’s NBA preseason schedule is underway and its 2024-25 regular-season schedule begins on Wednesday, October 23. The full schedule is available at ESPNPressRoom.com. ESPN also has Spanish-language coverage of the NBA on ESPN Deportes.

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