{"id":710312,"date":"2026-06-02T12:03:24","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T12:03:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/710312\/"},"modified":"2026-06-02T12:03:24","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T12:03:24","slug":"inside-the-nba-and-wnbas-booming-player-to-broadcast-pipeline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/710312\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside the NBA and WNBA’s booming player-to-broadcast pipeline"},"content":{"rendered":"

When the NBA Finals<\/a> begin airing on ESPN this week, Golden State Warriors<\/a> star Draymond Green will return to “Inside the NBA” as a guest analyst for Games 3 and 4, resuming a role he helped pioneer.<\/p>\n

In 2022, Green became the first active NBA player to make in-season appearances as a television analyst. But he\u2019s no longer alone.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

While athletes in tennis and even the NFL have double dipped in broadcasting and playing, the trend of active player contributors continues to gain steam in professional basketball.<\/p>\n

NBA players Kyle Lowry and Tyrese Haliburton joined Prime Video as athlete contributors. On the WNBA side, Kelsey Plum signed on as a player contributor for Prime, Sophie Cunningham<\/a> is working as a studio analyst for USA Network and Caitlin Clark made multiple appearances on NBC\u2019s studio show for NBA games.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s becoming more attractive because it gives players the opportunity to show the other side of their brains and not just a basketball playing side,\u201d Lowry said. \u201cIt\u2019s a lot that goes into being a professional athlete, especially a basketball player. You have to continue to play basketball, working (on) your craft, but you also gotta watch the film, study it, etc. Also having to explain what you\u2019re doing, how you are preparing yourself to the everyday fan is fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Not all players are necessarily cut out for broadcasting. Amina Hussein, Prime Video\u2019s head of U.S. sports on-air talent and development, said she keeps her ear to the streets to figure out which players want to be in media and can bring a unique perspective to the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cFolks that are authentic, that are genuine, that love the sport that they\u2019re talking about. And I have a \u2018no asshole policy,\u2019\u201d Hussein said. \u201cJust looking for genuinely good people that want to help grow, talk and enjoy the sport, and bring a different perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n

Previous broadcast experience is not a requirement, though it is a bonus. Cunningham, a guard for the Indiana Fever, previously served as a guest analyst on the Phoenix Suns<\/a>‘ pre- and postgame broadcasts in 2022 and commentated on college basketball for various networks.<\/p>\n

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Jeff Behnke, USA Sports executive producer, said the primary reasons the network recruited Cunningham were her personality and recognizability.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe says what\u2019s on her mind and she is also really passionate about the game of basketball,\u201d Behnke said. \u201cI think any time you can get that in the moment, on the field, on the racetrack, on the court information and personality weaved into a broadcast, it\u2019s a great thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

While fans are used to seeing retired players as talking heads on TV, active athletes are behind the scenes in the locker room every day and can draw from their current experiences to paint a picture.<\/p>\n

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Haliburton, who missed this entire Indiana Pacers<\/a> season while recovering from a torn Achilles tendon he suffered in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, said he viewed his role with Prime as a way to stay connected to the game while injured. He mostly used his appearances to discuss his rehab process and top teams in the league with Prime\u2019s main studio crew, which includes host Taylor Rooks alongside former NBA players Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, Blake Griffin and Udonis Haslem.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes when older guys are talking about the sport, sometimes it can sound a little, \u2018Back in my day,\u2019 whereas I think getting my perspective on things, as a guy who is having success currently, is just a little different,\u201d Haliburton said. \u201cI think it\u2019s interesting to hear their perspective on things and have rebuttals and conversations which I\u2019m appreciative of, because obviously Steve and Dirk played in a different game versus myself. So I\u2019m very appreciative of those different perspectives. I think that\u2019s what makes our game beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Victor Wembanyama leads Spurs to a huge win in double OT. See game highlights<\/p>\n

Oklahoma City Thunder fans react during Game 1 of the Western Conference finals against the San Antonio Spurs at Paycom Center on May 18, 2026.<\/p>\n

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Victor Wembanyama leads Spurs to a huge win in double OT. See game highlights<\/p>\n

Oklahoma City Thunder fans react during Game 1 of the Western Conference finals against the San Antonio Spurs at Paycom Center on May 18, 2026.<\/p>\n

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Terrell Owens cheers during the second quarter in Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs between the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena on May 10, 2026, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n

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Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown claps during the second half of the game between the Detroit Pistons and the Cleveland Cavaliers during game five of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena.<\/p>\n

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Actress Jessica Alba attends Game 4 of the playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on May 11, 2026.<\/p>\n

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Actors Kevin Connolly, Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn attend Game 4 of the playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on May 11, 2026.<\/p>\n

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Phoenix Suns player Dillon Brooks attends game four of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena.<\/p>\n

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Rappers Marshall “Eminem” Mathers and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson attend Game Five between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Detroit Pistons in the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena on May 13, 2026, in Detroit, Michigan.<\/p>\n

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A San Antonio Spurs fan is seen following Game Five of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Frost Bank Center on May 12, 2026, in San Antonio, Texas.<\/p>\n

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Film actor Eddie Murphy attends game four of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena.<\/p>\n

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Coco Jones hugs her fiancee Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell after the Cavaliers beat the Detroit Pistons in game three in the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena.<\/p>\n

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Detroit Pistons dancers perform during a time out in the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers during game two of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena.<\/p>\n

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Allen Iverson attends the game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks in Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on May 08, 2026, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n

(Emilee Chinn, Getty Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green looks on in the first half of the game between the Detroit Pistons and the Cleveland Cavaliers during game two of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena.<\/p>\n

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A member of the Cleveland Cavaliers Scream Team performs during a time out during the second half of game three between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Detroit Pistons in the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena.<\/p>\n

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Retired Oklahoma women\u2019s basketball college basketball coach Sherri Coale watches the second half of game two of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center.<\/p>\n

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Oklahoma City Thunder fans cheer for their team against the Los Angeles Lakers in the second half during game two of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center.<\/p>\n

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Former NBA players Jalen Rose and Jimmy King look on during a game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Detroit Pistons in Game Two of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena on May 07, 2026, in Detroit, Michigan.<\/p>\n

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Cooper DeJean of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on before the game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks in Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on May 08, 2026, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n

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Franklin the Dog, mascot of the Philadelphia 76ers, greets Ben Stiller in Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on May 08, 2026, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n

(Emilee Chinn, Getty Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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Ben Stiller and Arthur Embiid, son of Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers, interact during the game between the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers in Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on May 08, 2026, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n

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Evan Mobley of the Cleveland Cavaliers signs autographs before Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs against the Detroit Pistons at Rocket Arena on May 09, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio.<\/p>\n

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Aidan Hutchinson of the Detroit Lions and former NBA player Jalen Rose meet during the first half of a game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Detroit Pistons in Game Two of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena on May 07, 2026, in Detroit, Michigan.<\/p>\n

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Actor Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet reacts during the third quarter in Game Two of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs between the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden on May 06, 2026, in New York City.<\/p>\n

(Dustin Satloff, Getty Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns greets his fiancee, Jordyn Woods, after defeating the Philadelphia 76ers 108-102 in game five of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden.<\/p>\n

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Bryce Underwood of the Michigan Wolverines watches from court side during the second quarter of a game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Detroit Pistons in Game One of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena on May 05, 2026, in Detroit, Michigan.<\/p>\n

(Gregory Shamus, Getty Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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Actor and filmmaker Spike Lee reacts to a call during game five of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.<\/p>\n

(Wendell Cruz, Imagn Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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Actor Ben Stiller reacts after Game Two of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs between the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden on May 06, 2026, in New York City.<\/p>\n

(Dustin Satloff, Getty Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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Actor Timothee Chalamet celebrates after the New York Knicks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 108-102 in game five of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden.<\/p>\n

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Socialite Jordyn Woods looks on during the second quarter in Game Two of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs between the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden on May 06, 2026, in New York City.<\/p>\n

(Dustin Satloff, Getty Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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Former San Antonio Spurs player Tim Duncan looks on in the second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves during game two of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Frost Bank Center.<\/p>\n

(Daniel Dunn, Imagn Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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Minnesota Timberwolves co-owner Alex Rodriguez watches Game Two of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center on May 06, 2026, in San Antonio, Texas.<\/p>\n

(Ronald Cortes, Getty Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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Rapper Fat Joe and actor Ben Stiller embrace after Game Two of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs between the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden on May 06, 2026, in New York City.<\/p>\n

(Dustin Satloff, Getty Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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Former San Antonio Spurs player Manu Ginobili looks on during game two of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Frost Bank Center.<\/p>\n

(Daniel Dunn, Imagn Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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Actor Tracy Morgan sits court side during game five of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.<\/p>\n

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Actor Matt Dilon sits court side during game five of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.<\/p>\n

(Wendell Cruz, Imagn Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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The San Antonio Spurs Hype Squad performs in the first half against the Minnesota Timberwolves during game two of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Frost Bank Center.<\/p>\n

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Jimmy Fallon reacts during the second quarter of a game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks in Game One of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 04, 2026, in New York City.<\/p>\n

(Al Bello, Getty Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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American comedian and talk show host Jimmy Fallon sits court side during the fourth quarter of game one of the eastern conference semifinal round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden.<\/p>\n

(Brad Penner, Imagn Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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Former San Antonio Spurs player David Robinson looks on during the second quarter of a game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Spurs in Game One of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Frost Bank Center on May 04, 2026, in San Antonio, Texas.<\/p>\n

(Ronald Cortes, Getty Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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Actor Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet looks on during the second quarter of a game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks in Game One of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 04, 2026, in New York City.<\/p>\n

(Al Bello, Getty Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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American producer and activist Spike Lee reacts during the first quarter of game one of the eastern conference semifinal round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden.<\/p>\n

(Brad Penner, Imagn Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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American producer and activist Spike Lee talks to New York Mets injured shortstop Francisco Lindor during the first quarter of game one of the eastern conference semifinal round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden.<\/p>\n

(Brad Penner, Imagn Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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The San Antonio Spurs Coyote performs during game one of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Frost Bank Center.<\/p>\n

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Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs looks on in the second half of the game between the Detroit Pistons and the Cleveland Cavaliers during game one of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena.<\/p>\n

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Detroit Pistons dancers perform during a time out in the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers during game one of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena.<\/p>\n

(Rick Osentoski, Imagn Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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Moondog performs during the first quarter of game seven between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena.<\/p>\n

(Ken Blaze, Imagn Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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Steve Schirripa looks on during the second quarter of a game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks in Game One of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 04, 2026, in New York City.<\/p>\n

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A member of the Cleveland Cavaliers Dance Team performs during a time out in the second half of game seven in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena.<\/p>\n

(Ken Blaze, Imagn Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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New York Knicks fan Spike Lee celebrates with guard Miles McBride after a victory over the Atlanta Hawks during game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at State Farm Arena.<\/p>\n

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Philadelphia 76ers managing partner Josh and Marjorie Harris pose for a photo with the mascot after defeating the Boston Celtics 106-93 in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 30, 2026, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n

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A Houston Rockets fan poses prior to Game Six against the Los Angeles Lakers in the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Toyota Center on May 01, 2026, in Houston, Texas.<\/p>\n

(Kenneth Richmond, Getty Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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Daniel Caesar attends Game Six between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors in the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 01, 2026, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.<\/p>\n

(Cole Burston, Getty Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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Houston Rockets cheerleader performs during a timeout against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second quarter of game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center.<\/p>\n

(Erik Williams, Imagn Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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Philadelphia 76ers guard Vj Edgecombe signs the jersey of 12-year-old Kallie McKenna before game seven of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden.<\/p>\n

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Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. during game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers at Toyota Center.<\/p>\n

(Erik Williams, Imagn Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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Toronto Maple Leafs Matthew Knies (C) attends Game Six between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 01, 2026, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.<\/p>\n

(Cole Burston, Getty Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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Orlando Magic mascot Stuff getting the crowd into it in the fourth quarter during game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Kia Center.<\/p>\n

(Jeremy Reper, Imagn Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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Orlando Magic dancer during a timeout in the fourth quarter during game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Kia Center.<\/p>\n

(Jeremy Reper, Imagn Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin attend game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena.<\/p>\n

(Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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Tracy Morgan, Tina Fey, Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet, Kylie Jenner, and Ben Stiller attend Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs between the Atlanta Hawks and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on April 28, 2026 in New York City.<\/p>\n

(Sarah Stier, Getty Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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Filmmaker and New York Knicks fan Spike Lee in the stands against the Atlanta Hawks in the second quarter during game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on April 30, 2026.<\/p>\n

(Brett Davis, Imagn Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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A young fan enters the arena seating before a game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 30, 2026 in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

(Bill Streicher, Imagn Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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Cleveland Cavaliers cheerleaders perform before game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Toronto Raptors at Rocket Arena.<\/p>\n

(David Richard, Imagn Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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GloRilla dances after Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs between the Toronto Raptors and the Cleveland Cavaliers at Scotiabank Arena on April 26, 2026, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.<\/p>\n

(Cole Burston, Getty Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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Cleveland Cavaliers mascot Moondog interacts with fans before game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Toronto Raptors at Rocket Arena.<\/p>\n

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Houston Rockets dancers perform during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center on April 26, 2026.<\/p>\n

(Troy Taormina, Imagn Images)\"\"<\/p>\n

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American rapper Common and singer Jennifer Hudson sit courtside during Game 5 of the playoff series between the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 26, 2026.<\/p>\n

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Rapper T.I. looks on during the fourth quarter of game three of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs between the Atlanta Hawks and the New York Knicks at State Farm Arena on April 23, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.<\/p>\n

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NBA player Chris Paul talks to former player Grant Hill during a game between the Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks in the second quarter during game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at State Farm Arena.<\/p>\n

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Comedian D.C. Young Fly reacts after the Atlanta Hawks 109-108 win over the New York Knicks in game three of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs at State Farm Arena on April 23, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.<\/p>\n

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Rapper and producer Quavo watches a game between the Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks in the second quarter during game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at State Farm Arena.<\/p>\n

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Rapper and entertainer Pastor Troy performs during a game between the Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks in the second quarter during game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at State Farm Arena.<\/p>\n

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Toronto Raptors fans cheer in the area known as Jurassic Park outside of Scotiabank Arena before game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers.<\/p>\n

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Actor Timothee Chalamet claps in his court side seat during the first quarter of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 20, 2026.<\/p>\n

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Denver Nuggets fans cheer in the second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves during game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 20, 2026.<\/p>\n

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Denver Nuggets dancers perform in the second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves during game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 20, 2026.<\/p>\n

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Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and his wife Kelly attend game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena.<\/p>\n

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Actor Will Ferrell attends game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena.<\/p>\n

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Moondog performs during the first quarter of game one in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors at Rocket Arena.<\/p>\n

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Former NFL player Shannon Sharpe sits next to producer Jeffrey Katzenberg during the second half of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena.<\/p>\n

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Denver Nuggets fan dressed as DC comic the Joker during the first half against the Minnesota Timberwolves during game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 20, 2026.<\/p>\n

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American producer and activist Spike Lee reacts from his courtside seat during Game 2 of the first-round playoff series between the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 20, 2026.<\/p>\n

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American Olympic gymnast Suni Lee sits courtside during Game 2 of the first-round playoff series between the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 20, 2026.<\/p>\n

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San Antonio Spurs fan wears an alien on her stomach during the first half of game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers at Frost Bank Center in San Antonia on April 19, 2026.<\/p>\n

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Los Angeles Lakers girls cheerleaders perform during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena.<\/p>\n

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Cleveland Brows player Myles Garrett riles up the crowd during the first half of game one between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena.<\/p>\n

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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander signs his autograph for fans before the start of game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center.<\/p>\n

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Detroit Pistons Dance team performs while playing the Orlando Magic during game one of the first round of the eastern conference playoffs at Little Caesars Arena on April 19, 2026, in Detroit, Michigan.<\/p>\n

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Fans arrive to watch warmups before game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Ball Arena.<\/p>\n

(Christopher Hanewinckel, Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

Balancing on-air appearances with an 82-game NBA schedule or 44-game WNBA schedule, not to mention other commitments, is no easy feat. Lowry did a few postgame segments for Prime this season after he finished playing in a game for the Philadelphia 76ers<\/a>, after midnight on the East Coast.<\/p>\n

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Because players can\u2019t predict their availability, Prime Video pays its contributors on a per appearance basis instead of locking them into a set number of appearances for a contract term. Network executives are clear, though: Basketball always comes first.<\/p>\n

Cunningham, for example, will join USA Network\u2019s WNBA doubleheader nights for pregame, halftime and postgame hits when her schedule permits, including sometimes when she\u2019s on the road with the Fever. She said the schedule doesn\u2019t faze her because being immersed in the league every day naturally helps prepare her as an analyst.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re making TikToks and Instagrams and doing that type of thing anyway. When it comes to basketball, we\u2019re watching film 24\/7,\u201d Cunningham said. \u201cWe\u2019re watching the games or playing different teams, so you\u2019re already doing it, but now I\u2019m just getting paid to talk about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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In addition to her live studio appearances, USA hired a veteran producer to help Cunningham film mini features for on air and digital platforms \u2013 everything from player interviews to fun storylines to introspective pieces.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone knows us as who we are when we\u2019re playing, and sometimes that\u2019s a really good thing, somethings that\u2019s a really bad thing,\u201d Cunningham said. \u201cBut I want the audience to get to know people on a more personal level. Who are these women outside of the court? What do they like to do? What are their interests? Because I do think the W is so cool because you have a lot of smart women who are passionate about a lot of different things. There\u2019s so much diversity, so it\u2019s how can we highlight that? How can we inspire the next generation?\u201d<\/p>\n

\"WNBA<\/p>\n

WNBA star Caitlin Clark works alongside former NBA player Reggie Miller during a broadcast for NBC before a game between the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 1, 2026.<\/p>\n

Plum, a two-time WNBA champion and four-time All-Star, plays for the Los Angeles Sparks<\/a> and is in the same city as Prime\u2019s studios. Hussein said Prime will attempt to bring Plum into the studio on off days to film segments.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI would love to have her on that court and demonstrating some plays and just getting into her basketball analytical mind,\u201d Hussein said. \u201cKelsey specifically, I just know she\u2019s a hoop head and I can\u2019t wait to get her on that basketball court with the other ladies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Players are used to speaking publicly as part of their league media obligations. Still, active player contributors must walk a fine line between providing insightful commentary and avoiding sharing too much about their own team or opponents.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of the player contributions that I had to do was talking my own team which is very good and easy for me to do, but it\u2019s also a tough balance because some things that you could say, you can\u2019t,\u201d Lowry said. \u201cThat\u2019s just the brotherhood that we live in and the locker room is a very sacred place and some things are supposed to stay in the locker room.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Athletes say their contributor roles allowed them to flex their basketball knowledge in a different way and simultaneously develop a new appreciation for broadcasters and analysts. Cunningham said that when she watches games, she pays almost more attention to the studio segments than to the actual basketball. Haliburton takes notes from his close friend Rooks, a veteran broadcaster.<\/p>\n

In the age of social media and podcasts, athletes have more avenues than ever to speak directly to fans. But they still recognize the impact and reach that broadcast networks and streaming platforms possess, and the fractured media rights landscape has opened more doors.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that these multiple platforms allow us players to control the narrative a little bit more to give our input,\u201d Haliburton said. \u201cPreviously, if the game was not on as many networks, then there\u2019s only so many spots and they\u2019ll go to analysts and insiders and stuff. But I think that there\u2019s a real interest in hearing what current players have to say and I think that taking advantage of that as players is important.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The 2025-26 season marked the beginning of the NBA\u2019s 11-year deal with three national broadcast partners: ABC\/ESPN, NBC\/Peacock and Prime Video.<\/p>\n

WNBA games during the 2026 season are being broadcast on ABC\/ESPN, NBC\/Peacock\/NBCSN, Prime Video, CBS Sports, ION, USA Network and NBA TV.<\/p>\n

USA Network is in the first year of an 11-year media rights agreement with the WNBA and hired 15 announcers for its coverage team. Behnke said that as the \u201cnew kid on the block\u201d for WNBA coverage, the network is cognizant that it must earn viewers\u2019 trust.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe want to be trusted, first and foremost,\u201d Behnke said. \u201cWe want to be credible and we want to be entertaining. And if we can do all of those, we believe we\u2019ll have a really successful year, but you have to work at it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Active player contributors can also appeal to younger audiences who might be new basketball fans. NBA on Prime\u2019s median viewer age this season was 46.9, nine years younger than audiences watching the NBA this season on linear channels (56), and the NBA\u2019s youngest audience in six years. A Prime spokesperson said Haliburton and Lowry\u2019s appearances have also driven \u201csignificant\u201d engagement on social media.<\/p>\n

Hussein said feedback on active player contributors has been positive so far and hinted that Prime is working on bringing on additional players, though she wouldn\u2019t reveal who just yet. She also added that it is beneficial from a business standpoint for Prime to establish relationships with current players, because you never know who might be interested in exploring a broadcast career down the line. <\/p>\n

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Lowry, who just completed his 20th NBA season, said taking the Prime gig was a “no-brainer”\u00a0because it set him up for a smooth transition from playing to broadcasting whenever he\u2019s ready.<\/p>\n

Haliburton, meanwhile, is unsure whether his arrangement with Prime will continue next season when he returns to the court or whether he\u2019ll pursue a broadcast career after retirement, but he\u2019s happy to have options.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s definitely a possibility,\u201d Haliburton said. \u201cI\u2019ve had a lot of conversations about do I want to coach or whatever, but me at 26 years old, I\u2019m sure my answer would be very different when I\u2019m ready to give up or stop playing, so it\u2019s hard to say right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Cunningham is a long way from retirement, too, but said she has broadcast aspirations. Right now, she\u2019s grateful for her opportunity with USA Network and hopeful that more active players will become contributors.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think hopefully this opens up more for other players to do what they are passionate about and get your feet wet a little bit while you\u2019re still playing,\u201d Cunningham said. \u201cWhen the ball stops bouncing, you\u2019re setting yourself up and I just think it\u2019s really cool that companies are starting to invest in us because they see us as more than just basketball players.\u201d<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA and WNBA players are becoming broadcasters \u2014 while still playing<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When the NBA Finals begin airing on ESPN this week, Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green will return…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":710313,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[557],"tags":[345283,64,63,726,6554,7901,5552,10731,7221,149107,291919,10729,590,2656,9688,7185,15230,38559,85,345284,16319,50879,5941],"class_list":["post-710312","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nba","tag-amina-hussein","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-basketball","tag-caitlin-clark","tag-draymond-green","tag-golden-state-warriors","tag-indiana-fever","tag-indiana-pacers","tag-kelsey-plum","tag-kyle-lowry","tag-los-angeles-sparks","tag-nba","tag-nba-finals","tag-philadelphia-76ers","tag-phoenix-suns","tag-prime-video","tag-sophie-cunningham","tag-sports","tag-television-analyst","tag-tyrese-haliburton","tag-usa-network","tag-wnba"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/710312","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=710312"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/710312\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/710313"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=710312"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=710312"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=710312"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}