Source: Justin Casterline / Getty
Somehow Stephen A. Smith has found time to take on another role at ESPN.
The boisterous pundit who plays host on First Take and NBA Countdown will now take the reigns during the broadcast of some NBA games set to air on ESPN. The new program will be dubbed NBA In Stephen A’s World and premiere on October 26.
Smith tells Variety that through the show’s relaxed format, viewers will get to see “how I watch a game, the kind of things that I pay attention to, the kind of things I talk about when I’m just sitting around talking to family and friends.”
With loads of famous friends, Smith will be having a bunch of esteemed guests join in on the show.
If ESPN’s laid-back format sounds familiar, it’s because the network has seen success with similar content aimed at NFL fans with ManningCast, where Super Bowl-winning quarterback brothers Peyton and Eli Manning talk about Monday Night Football in a very casual format.
Variety reports that the MLB is doing the same, as the rise of streaming platforms’ sports content has ignited them to lean on more niche audiences by way of personalities.
Smith, never one to hold back his opinions in a colorful manner, promises that his new show will be even more unfiltered than others following a similar format.
“I don’t think that anybody who has watched those shows should anticipate that they will see me doing anything remotely like them when it comes to how I watch a game.”
Along with ESPN, NBA in Stephen A’s World is produced by Smith’s own SAS Productions and Peyton Manning Omaha company, with four debut episodes airing next week.
