Following his retirement as a player, six-time NBA All-Star Blake Griffin is reportedly attracting significant interest not from NBA teams, but from the league’s new television partners. Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports reports that Griffin is in discussions with Amazon Prime Video for a role as an analyst on their NBA coverage, with NBC and ESPN also showing interest in the former Clippers star.
Although Amazon and NBC do not currently broadcast NBA games, they will start doing so in 2025/26 under the new media rights deal, requiring them to assemble their broadcast teams with game and studio analysts. One source suggests to McCarthy that Griffin, known for his engaging personality and experience in stand-up comedy, could become the face of Amazon’s NBA coverage.
Ryan Glasspiegel of The New York Post recently revealed that veteran play-by-play broadcaster Ian Eagle, who covers NBA games for TNT and YES Network, is in serious talks to join Amazon for NBA coverage. Mike Tirico and Ian’s son Noah Eagle are expected to be the top two play-by-play broadcasters for NBC’s NBA coverage, according to Glasspiegel.
Additionally, here are some more news and updates from the basketball world:
In a captivating article for The Associated Press, Tim Reynolds explores the average tenure of an NBA head coach, noting that 15 out of the league’s 30 coaches are in their first, second, or third year with their teams. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, the NBA’s second longest-tenured head coach, commented on the challenging nature of the profession. He expressed disappointment at the statistic, highlighting the importance of structure, continuity, and team support for coaches to succeed.
Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum has reportedly agreed to support a bid to bring a WNBA team to his hometown of St. Louis, as reported by Jacob Feldman of Sportico. Billionaires Richard Chaifetz and David Hoffman are leading the ownership group for the potential franchise, with NBA players permitted to own up to a 4% stake in a WNBA team.
Another individual involved in the Jontay Porter betting scandal has pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, according to an Associated Press report. Mahmud Mollah, a Pennsylvania resident, is scheduled for sentencing on May 2 in federal court, facing a range of possible sentences from no jail time to 20 years in prison.
