Professional basketball coverage is going to look significantly different this coming fall. After Inside the NBA faced cancellation, the show is set to be syndicated out to ESPN as part of a historic deal, beginning at the start of the 2025-2026 season. Fans will also see the return of the NBA on NBC broadcast, which were revered in some circles. As the Peacock network makes the necessary preparations, it’s tapped an Inside and TNT alum for its coverage team. And, if you ask me, this is a great pick-up.
NBC has officially hired sports pundit and former basketball player Jamal Crawford to join its ranks. According to a press release from the media company, Crawford will serve as a lead game analyst upon the start of the network’s b-ball coverage in October. This hiring comes months after Crawford took to social media and revealed that he’d become a “TV free agent.” The fan-favorite athlete-turned-host will apparently work one or more games a week and released a statement after landing the gig:
I’m thrilled to join the NBC Sports family and their new NBA package. I grew up reenacting the game highlights that I watched on the network’s classic NBA coverage, so I’m truly honored to be a part of the new broadcast team that will bring the game to a different generation of fans. NBC Sports’ productions are top-notch across the board, and I can’t wait for hoop fans to see what we have in store for the new era of basketball content.
A tried-and-true shooting guard, Jamal Crawford was drafted in 2000 the Cleveland Cavaliers with the eighth pick, which was traded to the Chicago Bulls that night. Crawford played for various basketball clubs, including the Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers. The journeyman was widely known as a sharpshooter capable of hitting a clutch shot when the moment called for it. Crawford formally retired from the sport in 2022 and, even before that, in 2021, he’d already begun his broadcasting career.
While I didn’t watch the three-time Sixth Man of the Year’s work with NBA League Pass, he was a joy to watch as a part of The NBA on TNT, who he joined at the start of the 2022-2023 season. Not only did he provide thoughtful analysis during the Tuesday edition of Inside the NBA, but he even served as a reliable fill-in for the flagship show when necessary. The Seattle native is a truly cerebral sportscaster, and his insights were much appreciated by yours truly. I must say that NBC is fortunate to have such a student of the game in its employ.
The return of the NBA on NBC banner was an unexpected pro of the network shakeups that occurred once deals for the titular league’s broadcast rights expired. As mentioned, it appeared as though the changes could lead to the end of Inside the NBA. Now, TNT’s deal with ESPN ensures that the show will remain on the air for the next decade. That opens up a number of possibilities, including alt-casts that could see personalities such as Charles Barkley and Stephen A. Smith joining forces on air.
As much as I enjoy Inside, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious to see what NBA on NBC has to offer when it returns this fall — complete with that iconic music. Jamal Crawford’s involvement now marks another reason for me to check out the broadcast. We’ll see how everything pans out this October.
Those who want to take in NBC’s coverage of the NBA will be able to livestream games on Mondays using a Peacock subscription. Also, both the streamer and its sister network will offer regional doubleheaders including national coverage on Tuesdays.
