ESPN recruits top pundit Stephen A. Smith to host NBA simulcast this season

Stephen A. Smith has been tapped to host an ‘alternative broadcast’ for some NBA games this season by ESPN, with the first edition of the show scheduled for October 26.

The show will be called ‘NBA in Stephen A’s World,’ with four episodes scheduled for the analyst to break down games to fans in a ‘very relaxed format.’

The inception of the broadcasts comes after the success of Eli and Peyton Manning’s ‘ManningCast’ for Monday Night Football, where the pair have colloquially analyzed games. Smith’s show will be produced by Peyton’s Omaha Productions.

Stephen A. Smith is adding to his busy schedule at ESPN with the new alternative broadcast

Omaha has also produced similar shows for baseball, college football and UFC. 

The news was first reported by Variety, who said the show will appear on ESPN and ESPN2.

While Smith’s show will take on a now-familiar format, he doesn’t expect it to look much like its predecessors.

‘I don’t think that anybody who has watched those shows should anticipate that they will see me doing anything remotely like them when it comes to how I watch a game,’ he told Variety.

Peyton and Eli Manning have found success with their lighthearted ‘ManningCast’ show

The ‘ManningCast’ has often featured guests from the sports and entertainment world, such as Draymond Green, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Jon Hamm, and Smith’s show will also feature guests.

‘You’ll see people who are fans of the sport who are relatively popular coming in to talk about the sport. That’s what it will be about,’ he said. 

Smith will host other editions of the show on November 2, on December 2 and on Christmas Day, Variety said of the personality, who also appears on ‘First Take’ and ‘NBA Countdown’ for ESPN.

The network is set to broadcast Nets-Bucks followed by Lakers-Nuggets on October 26, so Smith’s debut with the new show will likely be one of those games.