ESPN
The NBA coverage on ESPN is not facing increased scrutiny following the return of NBA on NBC, as basketball fans were given a taste of the type of coverage that the sport has lacked in recent decades on ESPN.
One element of ESPN’s NBA coverage that’s receiving particular criticism is the hot take factory it’s become, with the likes of Stephen A. Smith and Kendrick Perkins engaging more in drama than actual analysis.
There’s also the general corniness of Kendrick Perkins, which was on full display on Tuesday night when he made SportsCenter host visibly uncomfortable with a comment about “taking a perc” — a play on words about his nickname and the pain medication Percocet — instead of Ibuprofen.
Kendrick Perkins makes Elle Duncan uncomfortable on SportsCenter with pun about “taking a perc”
No way Kendrick Perkins said that on Live TV 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/GYtUx0Zc0w
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) October 21, 2025
She deadass disgusted 😭 https://t.co/5cVEvBAdl8
— D (@Yeaderr) October 22, 2025
reminder that espn laid off zach lowe https://t.co/mOHccljkXl
— Isaac Harris (@IsaacLHarris) October 21, 2025
Tuesday night’s return of the NBA on NBC was a tough outing for ESPN, as the basketball world virtually unanimously agreed that NBC’s coverage was head and shoulders above what ESPN, and TNT, have been putting out for the 23 years since NBC last had the rights to air the NBA.
Unfortunately for NBA fans, however, ESPN retained a portion of the NBA broadcasting rights and will host games throughout the season on Sundays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Following Tuesday’s opening night matchups between the Oklahoma City Thunder/Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors/Los Angeles Lakers, the NBA’s schedule will begin in earnest tonight with 12 matchups across the league.