The trend of active player contributors in sports broadcasting “continues to gain steam in professional basketball,” according to Danielle Lerner of USA TODAY. Recent examples include:
Warriors F Draymond Green will make his return to “Inside the NBA” for the NBA Finals as “a guest analyst for Games 3 and 4.”
76ers G Kyle Lowry and Pacers G Tyrese Haliburton previously joined Prime Video as athlete contributors.
Sparks G Kelsey Plum signed on as a player contributor for Prime.
Fever G Caitlin Clark “made multiple appearances” on NBC’s “Sunday Night Basketball.”
Fever G Sophie Cunningham is working as a studio analyst for USA Network.
Prime Video Head of U.S. Sports On-Air Talent and Development Amina Hussein, an SBJ Game Changers honoree in 2025, said that 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.” Hussein: “Folks that are authentic, that are genuine, that love the sport that they’re talking about.” Cunningham previously served as a guest analyst on the Suns’ pre- and postgame broadcasts in 2022 and “commentated on college basketball for various networks.” With Plum based in the same city as Prime’s studios, Hussein said that they “will attempt to bring Plum into the studio on off days to film segments.” Lerner writes network execs “are clear, though: Basketball always comes first.” In addition to her live studio appearances, USA “hired a veteran producer to help Cunningham film mini features for on air and digital platforms” (USA TODAY, 6/2).