There’s been an awful lot of shakeup over at ESPN the past few months, with the Worldwide Leader parting ways with some of its most high-profile and well-respected talent. But they’ve also done a few things right recently. The Jump with Rachel Nichols is one of the savvier and more entertaining hoops shows around, while NBA Countdown persists as the scrappy little sibling to TNT’s Inside the NBA.
What both shows have in common – which is also one of their biggest strengths – is that they deploy a semi-rotating cast of former NBA stars who offer a unique perspective on the game that you simply don’t get from your average hoops analysts. The newest addition to both shows now appears to be Celtics legend Paul Pierce, who has been doing frequent guest spots this season and has reportedly been long-coveted by the network to come on-board full-time.
Via Richard Deitsch of SI.com:
Pierce, a future Hall of Famer, has added edge and additional bona fides to Countdown and well as the Rachel Nichols-led The Jump afternoon show. ESPN executives have been so impressed by Pierce’s work that they have let him know they are interested in bringing him in fulltime for the 2017-18 season. Pierce said he and his reps will sit down with ESPN executives after the Finals but this is something he wants. Nothing is official but take this one to Vegas: Next year’s fulltime NBA Countdown group will be Michele Beadle, Chauncey Billups, Jalen Rose, and Pierce.
“I can work in LA, which is where I am from, and I am already used to people at the network after working with them the last two years,” said Pierce, in an interview earlier this week. “And Beadle makes everyone feel comfortable. It just feels natural to me talking hoops and analyzing the game. I feel like I have been doing it forever.”
Pierce retired from basketball this season after a stellar 19-year career and has already appeared to make a seamless transition to broadcasting. His beaming personality and keen basketball mind combined with nearly two decades of NBA experience make him a perfect addition to the ESPN team. We can’t wait to watch bring the #TruthJuice on a daily basis next year.
(SI.com)
