My goodness, I had no idea so many people didn’t care for Magic as an analyst! When the announcement was made that Magic was leaving ESPN earlier today, there were A LOT of fans on Twitter that expressed how happy they were about it! Geeeeez. So who will take his spot?! Check out the reports after the jump…
Via ESPN:
Earvin “Magic” Johnson announced on Thursday that he’ll no longer be part of ESPN’s NBA coverage due to his other commitments.
Johnson, a five-time NBA champion, three-time MVP and member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, joined the network in 2008. He appeared on ESPN and ABC as a studio and game analyst.
“We appreciate Magic’s contributions and wish him well in his future endeavors,” John Wildhack, ESPN’s executive vice president, production, said in a statement. “We are in the process of determining our NBA commentator roles for the upcoming season.”
Earlier this week, ESPN announced the hiring of former 76ers coach Doug Collins as an analyst on a number of NBA shows. Collins was expected to work alongside Johnson on those shows.
“I love ESPN. Unfortunately, due to the nature of my schedule and other commitments, I don’t feel confident that I can continue to devote the time needed to thrive in my role,” Johnson said in a statement. “I will always feel a strong connection to the ESPN family and I enjoyed working with them very much.”
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Via YahooSports:
It should be fantastic news Doris Burke, the longtime color commentator for both NBA and women’s basketball games at ESPN, has been hired to be the first female analyst for an NBA studio show. Burke is set to join the ESPN NBA Countdown crew for the 2013-14 season, after having established her significant NBA credentials during years of working both the analyst and sideline reporter’s role on ESPN and ABC telecasts.
The problem here is that ESPN seems to have found a way to sneak in the host that NBA Countdown was missing, while getting to laud itself for its progressive promotion. Those cable guys are always one step ahead.
(Story Continues…)
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UPDATE via DS:
Magic Johnson Left ESPN Because Of Bill Simmons.
ESPN sources tell us that Johnson’s departure was the result of an old-fashioned power war, with one very clear winner: Bill Simmons. “It’s Simmons’s show now,” said one source.
Magic apparently was not at all happy when ESPN told his buddy Michael Wilbon that his role on NBA Countdown would be diminished. He was “booted,” according to one source. Another ESPN insider also said that Magic was “privately seething over the Wilbon thing and in general did not like that Simmons held all the power and influence.” Magic didn’t necessarily need the power, our sources explained; he just didn’t feel like kowtowing to Simmons when he’s, well, Magic Johnson.
“The bottom line is they turned that show over to Simmons,” said our source. “That’s why Doug Collins got hired and why Wilbon was out.”
