USA Sports names announcers, hosts joining Duncan for WNBA coverage

USA Sports on Thursday unveiled the game and studio commentators who will be joining lead studio host Elle Duncan in the company’s upcoming inaugural season of WNBA coverage. Duncan will be joined by Dream co-owner and former WNBAer Renee Montgomery, who will serve as an analyst on USA Sports’ WNBA pre- and post-game studio coverage on USA Network. Meanwhile, 76ers play-by-play commentator Kate Scott and Mystics play-by-play voice/Wizards sideline reporter Meghan McPeak will serve as play-by-play commentators. Nets game analyst and veteran host and reporter Sarah Kustok will serve as a game analyst. Thunder pre- and post-game host and reporter Paris Lawson and college basketball analyst and reporter Edona Thaqi will both contribute to game and studio coverage. Lawson will serve as a sideline reporter and studio host while Thaqi will be an analyst and reporter for game broadcasts and studio coverage. Additional members of USA Sports WNBA game and studio coverage will be announced in the coming weeks (USA Sports).

SPREADING HER WINGS: VARIETY’s Todd Spangler wrote Duncan has opened up about her exit from ESPN and move to Netflix, saying that Netflix “made her a compelling offer for a job that will let her spread her wings beyond sports per se.” Duncan noted that she had “done as much as she could do” at ESPN, “with limited opportunities given ESPN’s extensive roster of talent.” Duncan said, “I did really incredible, remarkable things at ESPN that obviously were pegged to sports. But I’ve always been, and prided myself on being, a utility player and really trying to push and test my versatility.” Duncan said at Netflix there is opportunity to “do MLB opening day and then maybe be in the running for a reality show.” Duncan’s agent, Matt Olson, recently told SBJ that Netflix — unlike ESPN — “offers the ability ‘for her to be the number one [sports talent] there.’” Duncan added, “They’re my main thing, but they also know that I have a love and passion for women’s sports, which is famously not a part of their portfolio yet. And so they really are bullish on the fact that they want me to take opportunities and projects that I’m passionate about, so long as they don’t interfere with my responsibilities for them” (VARIETY, 1/21).