Kenny Smith is expanding his presence on ESPN programming, in addition to his well-known role on *Inside the NBA*. On Wednesday, the Disney-owned company announced that the former NBA point guard has reached a multiyear agreement to make regular appearances on the network.
According to ESPN, Smith’s primary role will be as a guest on *First Take*. However, he will also occasionally serve as a game analyst and appear on *NBA Countdown*, including Wednesday night’s episode ahead of the New York Knicks vs. Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers vs. San Antonio Spurs doubleheader.
This news comes just two weeks after ESPN, based in Bristol, began airing *Inside the NBA* as part of a licensing deal with TNT Sports. While the popular studio show remains a Warner Bros. Discovery property, it now airs on ESPN, with TNT no longer holding a portion of the NBA’s media rights package.
Since the licensing deal was first announced, many speculated that ESPN might alter the show’s dynamic by inserting talents such as Stephen A. Smith into a crew best known for its chemistry. However, so far, it has been business as usual, with the new version of *Inside the NBA* effectively indistinguishable from the original.
Smith’s expanded role on ESPN makes sense for all parties involved. For the former North Carolina star, it helps fill his calendar (and bank account), especially since *Inside the NBA*’s new schedule is backloaded to after Christmas. For ESPN, this move not only adds one of the NBA’s top analysts to its airwaves more consistently but also broadens *Inside the NBA*’s presence beyond the studio show’s limited dates.
https://awfulannouncing.com/espn/kenny-smith-programming-nba-countdown-first-take.html
