ESPN Adds Championship-Winning coach Michael Malone to ‘NBA Countdown’
ESPN has added former Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone to its ‘NBA Countdown’ pregame show as a full-time analyst.The proclamation, made this week by ESPN president Jimmy pitaro, comes five months after Malone’s unexpected dismissal from the Nuggets with three regular season games remaining.
Malone’s move to ESPN solidifies the network’s revamped NBA coverage as it prepares to share broadcasting duties with a newly launched ‘Inside the NBA’ program.His insights will be valuable to viewers as ESPN navigates a season of increased NBA programming following TNT’s loss of league broadcast rights.
During his decade-long tenure in Denver, Malone compiled a 471-327 record, becoming the Nuggets’ all-time winningest coach. He guided the team to its historic first NBA championship in 2023. Though the Nuggets contemplated a coaching change earlier in the season at the all-Star break,a subsequent winning streak temporarily stayed Malone’s departure.
After initially joining ESPN to provide playoff analysis following his firing, Malone remained with the network when other head coaching opportunities did not materialize. He will now contribute alongside Malika Andrews, Shams Charania, Bob Meyers, Michael wilbon, and Stephen A. Smith on ’NBA Countdown.’
ESPN plans to strategically utilize both ‘NBA Countdown’ and ‘Inside the NBA’ this season,positioning ‘Inside the NBA’ for primetime events and major games,including the postseason and NBA Finals.
