Why LeBron James should - or shouldn't - be added to ESPN's NBA Finals coverage (2024)

ESPN’s NBA Finals coverage has been a journey.

That might be a mild assessment of how things have gone for the network during this year’s Finals.

Do you want to argue that coverage throughout the playoffs has seen issues flare up every round? You might not be far off the mark if you do. Criticism has buzzed around the network all playoffs long, especially in comparison to TNT, who many have commiserated over the fact that we’re nearing the end.

Tacked onto that fact is that ESPN will not relinquish the Finals anytime soon. In the upcoming NBA media rights deal, Disney again scored the exclusive rights to the Finals. So, it is likely to remain on ABC for the foreseeable future. Given this year’s Finals coverage, that suggestion may leave some viewers in despair. Many have clamored for and banged the drum on improvements for its coverage, especially the halftime shows.

But that’s been a concern for years and only seems to worsen gradually.

So, what can be done to improve this? We came up with ideas recently, and this week, Andrew Marchand of the New York Post threw an idea into the arena:

Bring LeBron James on.

NEW COLUMN: ESPN’s Finals presentation feels small and it should make a run at signing LeBron James to a Tom Brady-like post-playing contract.https://t.co/PqSYwBUegk

— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) June 12, 2024

Marchand likened the idea of bringing on LeBron to when ESPN did the same for Peyton Manning and his brother Eli. Or when the network also grabbed Joe Buck and Troy Aikman away from Fox. Marchand suggested that Jimmy Pitaro move “like a boss” to get James on their broadcasts, whether it’s immediate or next season. He argues that the Finals coverage needs a reboot. You won’t find many who disagree with that thought.

Here’s why he should or shouldn’t be the start of the cavalry for the Worldwide Leader’s NBA coverage.

Why ESPN should bolster its NBA Finals coverage with LeBron James

He’s the most prominent name around, and when he talks, people listen: Whether you agree or disagree with him, LeBron James has been a prominent and visible figure for over two decades. Saying James has a massive following might even be an understatement. He’s one of the most celebrated athletes of the 21st Century and a lightning rod with everything he does. He’s also remained relevant deep, deep into his NBA career and hasn’t come close to losing that mantle. Given that, you’d figure anytime that James would be on the call, in the studio, or otherwise, people would pay attention. You might even get hate-watchers to tune in. James is a Superstar with a capital S and is the biggest name in the NBA. ESPN shouldn’t be bashful about that if they were to explore this.

James can offer modern analysis: A key critique of color commentators sometimes ends up being how often they reveal that they’re out of touch with the modern game. This has been seen across many sports, and in basketball, that kind of insight is certainly needed and welcomed. James has played through multiple eras of basketball in his time in the league and understands how the game is played; he has changed and may have an idea of how it will change shortly. Regarding relevant analysis, James —or any modern superstar — would be a tremendous get and benefit viewers.

What does ESPN have to lose? Over the years, ESPN has tried various options and broadcasters in an attempt to deliver its NBA coverage. Many of these have proven unsuccessful for a litany of reasons. Sometimes, they’ve tried to mirror the Inside the NBA formula, and it hasn’t gone well. The talking heads they currently offer sometimes don’t meet the moment. Let’s not even get into Stephen A. Smith openly yearning for a vacation during the Eastern Conference Finals. Adding LeBron James to their coverage is a massive jolt, if nothing else, and at least signals the alarm that they know their coverage needs more juice.

Why ESPN should balk at bringing LeBron James on for the NBA Finals

Heavy criticism might still exist: ESPN could still face some criticism if they brought LeBron James on as a game or studio analyst. The network received a ton of it last summer after they brought Pat McAfee on for a significant deal financially. That deal and a swath of layoffs made McAfee a target all year long. Not that he has attempted to take that target off him in other ways in the last year, but that still existed. It left an indent on them, and people still reference it to this day. Bringing on James, which would cost a pretty penny, might lead to more criticism as they continue spending more on big names over journalists.

The ESPN-LeBron relationship is already perceived poorly: Throughout much of the 2010s, ESPN and LeBron gravitated toward each other. James became the center of discussion… pretty much everywhere. 1st & 10 and First Take centered broadcasts around him (lest we forget LeBrick James). Then, there was The Decision, a major moment in sports broadcasting history. ESPN latched onto James, propelled Brian Windhorst up the ladder with its Heat Index blog, and became the proverbial King James hub. LeBron has many fans. He also has many who loathe his presence and have despised how ESPN has covered him compared to other NBA players. If ESPN brought James on as an analyst, it probably wouldn’t impact those who already don’t like him or them, but it could give those factions more credence.

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Whether ESPN makes a move for LeBron for its NBA Finals coverage is yet to be seen, but much like everything else, there are upsides, and there may be downsides.

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