ESPN have revamped their NBA Countdown show, by including Grantland Editor-in-Chief Bill Simmons and College Basketball analyst Jalen Rose. They are set to join incumbent hosts Michael Wilbon and Earvin 'Magic' Johnson. Both personalities have seen a steady growth in their profiles within the last couple of years. For Simmons, it is a natural transition, with his NBA knowledge and credentials bonafide by the best selling The Book of Basketball, his work in Grantland and his award winning production in the network's 30 for 30 Series. He will appear on Wednesday and Friday editions on ESPN, and Sundays on ABC. Rose will be a busy man this basketball season. The former Fab Five guard was announced as the new analyst for ESPN's College Game Day in July, replacing the departing Hubert Davis who became an assistant at North Carolina. He will be part of the NBA Countdowns Wednesday airings on ESPN and Sundays on ABC.
This change appears to be an answer and challenge to TNT's acclaimed and award winning 'Inside the NBA'. The hope is that the two outspoken and popular analysts will draw a more entertaining and livelier discussion, much like TNT's show with the usually on point and sometime hilarious chemistry of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O'Niel. (Ok, no so much O'Niel, who's incredibly corny ramblings, incoherent mumbling and agenda ridden analysis has made him a mark for his legacy.)
The new hosts will replace the much maligned Chris Broussard and Jon Barry, who will transition into game events. Barry will work as a game analyst and Broussard as a court side reporter. It was widely speculated that Stan Van Gundy would join the ESPN show, but it appears his past differences with Commissioner Davis Stern, his former team, former star player and now, the network that nearly hired him has appeared to have made him unemployable within the league.
The new hosts and studio show, airing live from Los Angeles, will have its season premiere on Friday November 2nd, before ESPN's opening night doubleheader.
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