Tagged: ‘NBAOnESPN’

posted by on March 6, 2013 4:00 PM

NBA Lockdown podcast features former NBA star Bruce Bowen and ESPN.com writer Israel Gutierrez

ESPN's Bruce Bowen during the Sprint NBA All-Star Celebrity Game. (Travis Bell/ESPN Images)

ESPN’s Bruce Bowen during the Sprint NBA All-Star Celebrity Game. (Travis Bell/ESPN Images)

ESPN analyst Bruce Bowen is busy this season.

Not only did he participate in the Sprint NBA All-Star Celebrity Game during All-Star Weekend, but he regularly shares his NBA insights on SportsCenter and a variety of ESPN studio shows. This year, he also added a popular new podcast called NBA Lockdown, which he hosts on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with ESPN.com writer Israel Gutierrez.

Bowen and Gutierrez spent a few minutes chatting with Front Row about what listeners can expect on NBA Lockdown.

What makes your podcast unique?
B.B.: Honestly, I think it’s the take from two different worlds. We have two different people with strong opinions: a journalist and a champion insider. I’m not one to toot my own horn, but it’s not often that you are going to get the depth and detail from a champion who has been around great coaches and players. Plus, I’ve always respected Israel for his craft. He has strong opinions about what he feels and I do, too. I think that allows us to have the chemistry we have and the respect we have for one another.

Israel Gutierrez

Israel Gutierrez

I.G.: Bruce and I go back to the 2000-01 NBA season, which was my first year covering an NBA basketball team, the Miami Heat. We got along great then, we’ve kept in touch over the years, and we get along great now. That means we’re not afraid to attack each other — respectfully, of course. Bruce made a career of being an elite defender, and I happen to love offense. He’s a Spur for life, I’m supposedly a Spurs “hater.” It’s classic Odd Couple stuff, and it makes for some interesting exchanges.

What kind of preparation does the podcast require? continue reading…

Filed in: Behind The Scenes, NBAOnESPN

posted by on February 20, 2013 4:00 PM

NBA trade deadline in a new setting, but it’s old hat for Flip Saunders

Flip Saunders (Joe Faraoni/ESPN Images)

Flip Saunders (Joe Faraoni/ESPN Images)

ESPN2 will telecast a live NBA Trade Deadline Special on Thursday (3 p.m. ET, ESPN2/WatchESPN).

Anchor Kevin Connors (@kevconnorsespn) will host with analysts Flip Saunders (@Flip_Saunders), Tom Penn (@1tompenn) and ESPN NBA Insider Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard). (See the Twitter feed to the right for updates from ESPN NBA experts as Thursday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline approaches.)

Front Row caught up with Saunders, who joined ESPN in October after 16 seasons as an NBA head coach, to discuss, among other topics, this season’s trade market, his deadline day memories and his transition from coach to analyst.

What has the transition from NBA head coach to ESPN NBA analyst been like?
It’s been nothing but a positive experience. Whether it’s been other analysts, anchors or production colleagues, everyone has been helpful. As a coach, you’re always focused on your team, but you don’t look at the league as a whole. Now I get to study the entire league. It’s fun, but it’s a lot of work. It’s given me such a great appreciation for the work and preparation our on-air talent puts in.

As an NBA head coach, what is the trade deadline day like? Any deadline day memories? continue reading…

Filed in: Behind The Scenes, NBAOnESPN

posted by on February 4, 2013 3:45 PM

ESPN NBA analysts share intriguing gift ideas for Michael Jordan’s 50th birthday (#MJat50gifts)

Today, ESPN begins a two-week tribute honoring NBA legend Michael Jordan leading up to his 50th birthday on Sunday, Feb. 17.

The multiplatform celebration includes vignettes on SportsCenter remembering Jordan’s legacy, a robust slate of Jordan’s greatest performances on ESPN Classic and SportsCenter’s Top 50 Jordan highlights with fan participation determining the Top 10.

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Among the notable figures contributing to the project are NBA Commissioner David Stern, NBA All-Stars LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and Chris Paul, Basketball Hall of Famer and ESPN analyst Bobby Knight and Grammy Award-winning hip-hop artist COMMON.

To light the first candle on the Jordan birthday cake, Front Row asked our NBA commentators, analysts and reporters one important question: If you could get Michael Jordan anything for his birthday, what would it be?

The ideas for the North Carolina grad, Chicago Bulls’ six-time NBA champion and Charlotte Bobcats chairman are both insightful and amusing.

Flip Saunders:
What do you get the greatest player to play in the NBA for his birthday, especially when he has all he wants? I decided to give Michael a Birthday Basket which includes the following:
• Two season tickets to the Duke Blue Devils men’s basketball games
• A Duke, home jersey, No. 23
• A year’s supply of Powerade
• And, if it existed, a signed copy of former Chicago Bulls General Manager Jerry Krause’s book How Management Wins NBA Championships Year After Year, with a foreword by Phil Jackson.

Kurt Rambis:
If I could give Michael Jordan anything for his 50th birthday, I would give him back the game, Dec. 23, 1988, when I hit a buzzer beating shot over him and his Chicago Bulls for the expansion Charlotte Hornets. I’m sure that loss has haunted him his entire career.

Tom Penn: continue reading…

Filed in: Behind The Scenes, NBAOnESPN

posted by on February 1, 2013 8:00 AM

Robert Cray, Ozomatli and a Jay-Z producer among recording artists re-imagining ESPN NBA theme music

Fans of ESPN’s NBA programming, including Coast to Coast and NBA Tonight, might have noticed some unique twists on the standard theme music throughout the season. Those versions were developed for ESPN by popular recording artists across a variety of different music genres.

Among them are three Grammy-winning artists: Ozomatli, a Latin rock band that fuses many different music genres; Humble Monsta/Mr. Bink, a Jay-Z producer; and the blues-inspired Robert Cray Band. Other participants include the California indie rock band The Mowgli’s, jazz artist John Pizzarelli and The Sweet Tea Project, a group led by Ed Roland of Collective Soul. Two British artists — electro-pop sensation Jacob Plant and rock band The Heavy — also joined the diverse lineup.

Beginning today and continuing through Friday, Feb. 8, fans can vote for their favorite version on the SportsNation section of ESPN.com. The winning version will be featured on ESPN’s telecast of the Sprint NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on Friday, Feb. 15.

Front Row caught up with ESPN music director Kevin Wilson to learn a little more about the contest.

How did you select the artists?
Basically, we decided the types of genres that we wanted to feature and then we just started identifying artists that fit into those genres. We came up with a list of really talented, unique artists and started to make our requests.

Why is it important to bring fans into the creative process? continue reading…

Filed in: Behind The Scenes