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Sam Amick: Do I think that NBA media—and even at times myself—is guilty of not, you know, jumping into the nitty-gritty? Um, especially, you know, listen—Pablo filing through Chapter 11 bankruptcy documents, and connecting dots between Kawhi’s arrangement with the team sponsor and Steve Ballmer’s relationship... That's old-school sleuthing. And we’ll see where it leads. But it's good work. And yeah, a lot of the media is not going down those roads, for sure.
Charles Barkley: TNT sucks, they haven't told us when we're going to work
“We don’t know,” Barkley responded. “This has been one of the worst, TNT just sucks to be honest with you, Bill. They made this deal. They haven’t told us when we’re going to work. They haven’t told us how it’s going to work. Because, we’ve been talking behind the scenes, like … after the game are we going to get anytime or are they gonna say, ‘Hey, you guys got to go to SportsCenter.’ “That’s the best part of our show, after the game [where] we can, like, have conversation and have fun,” Barkley continued. “Are they gonna say, ‘You guys got three minutes, five minutes, 15, 20, 30, 45?’ Or are we going to go straight to SportsCenter? They haven’t given us an answer whatsoever. And TNT, I think they sold the show and they haven’t been noncommunicable [sic] at all.”
Sophie Rain responded publicly this weekend after NBA forward Michael Porter Jr. questioned her multimillion-dollar earnings on OnlyFans, calling out the double standards surrounding women in the influencer economy versus male athletes in professional sports.
The 20-year-old content creator, who recently revealed she made more than $82 million on the subscription platform over the past 18 months, issued a pointed rebuttal after Porter’s comments went viral on Twitch. “I just think it’s funny how men can dribble a ball and cash $30 million checks without anyone calling that ‘lame,’” Rain said Saturday. “But if a woman builds a business from nothing and earns more than some MVPs, suddenly it’s a moral crisis.”
Jeff Zillgitt: After 30 years at USA TODAY, it's -30- for me. I have taken a buyout. It's been the thrill and dream of a lifetime. Being a newspaper person was all I ever wanted out of work. There's not enough room to acknowledge everyone who deserves it but my gratitude runs wide and deep.
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Jeff Zillgitt: I’ve said this about a variety of things but this job and colleagues have helped me through dark days and made it possible for me to get from there to here. The support and kindness have been overwhelming and have enriched my life. I don’t do this alone. The timing of this buyout works, giving me a chance to pursue a couple of projects. I don’t have anything lined up, except for a few freelance gigs. I plan to decompress for a bit – I’m headed to Montana next week to fly-fish and will take a beach vacation later in September and I’ll go to some concerts. I still have stories to tell.
Tim Frank: The very definition of a pro. Great at his job and always kind to everyone he came into contact with. Glad the NBA was always his beat. Hope to see more of you, Jeff, in whatever you do next!
Jeff Zilgitt: After 30 years at USA TODAY, it's -30- for me. I have taken a buyout. It's been the thrill and dream of a lifetime. Being a newspaper person was all I ever wanted out of work. There's not enough room to acknowledge everyone who deserves it but my gratitude runs wide and deep.
ESPN’s finals crew has been in flux for years since it fired Breen’s longtime analysts, Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson, in the summer of 2023. ESPN had company-wide layoffs, and part of the network’s reasoning for singling out Van Gundy and Jackson was because of their perceived continued desire to coach, according to sources briefed on the move. The NBA was not a fan of Van Gundy criticizing officials, according to those sources.
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The Athletic: UPDATE: Doris Burke has signed a multi-year extension with ESPN, the network announced. She will be on ESPN's No. 2 NBA broadcast team with play-by-play announcer Dave Pasch.
ABC/ESPN demotes Doris Burke, promotes Tim Legler
ABC/ESPN has demoted Hall of Fame broadcaster Doris Burke from its NBA Finals team and promoted network commentator Tim Legler to its No. 1 team, sources briefed on the decision told The Athletic on Thursday. Legler will pair with longtime lead play-by-player Mike Breen and Richard Jefferson for the network’s finals broadcasts. Jefferson recently agreed to a new contract with ESPN after working his first finals in June. Burke was on the finals team for two years, becoming the first woman in history to serve as an analyst for one of the traditional four major North American sports leagues championships (NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL).
Ryen Russillo leaving The Ringer
Ryen Russillo’s time with The Ringer is coming to an end. Russillo, one of the best-regarded sports talk hosts in the business, is poised to launch a new digital production company when his deal expires, sources told Front Office Sports. Dave Portnoy and Barstool Sports are expected to invest in the company, which will host his new show. The sides are closing in on a commercial deal for a strategic multi-year partnership with Barstool for distribution, monetization, merch, and other infrastructure in Russillo’s new company. Sources said the deal is “inside the five-yard line” but has not been finalized.
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