LeBron James hasn’t exactly been shy about voicing his frustrations with the NBA media.
Whether it’s Brian Windhorst, Stephen A. Smith, or the lack of accountability from talking heads, the ‘King’ has gone on a media tour of his own, throwing jabs wherever he sees fit. And while we’ve grown used to LeBron griping about the state of NBA coverage and its obsession with ring culture, he’s not without optimism, especially when it comes to the shifting media landscape.
Of course, Amazon and NBC have entered the fray as new media partners, with TNT Sports set to relinquish its NBA rights after the 2025 Finals. And while LeBron didn’t offer any sweeping take on the rights shuffle, he did speak to The Hollywood Reporter about Prime Video’s coverage and what he hopes to see from it going forward.
Announced Tuesday as the face of Prime Day 2025, James touched on a range of topics in the interview. Amazon’s Wondery distributes His Mind the Game podcast with Steve Nash, so the partnership runs deeper than a one-off campaign. And while he fielded some questions about the pod, he also weighed in on Prime Video’s new analyst lineup and what he’s looking for from their presentation of the game.
“First of all, when I thought of the (analyst) lineup that they chose — legends like Dwayne Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Candice Parker — [Prime Video] is going to automatically be put in a position of great things,” James told The Hollywood Reporter. “[With them, Prime Video] has so much knowledge and [so many] people that know the game and appreciate the game and talk about the game in such a positive manner.
“So, I think Amazon Prime Video, they’re gonna do a great job showcasing our sport; [the talent] love(s) our sport. Great intellect, great commentary, great insight — I really look forward to that. And like I said, those guys that they have signed up for it, they’re gonna do great things.
It’s rare to hear LeBron James offer praise for basketball media in any form. But if Amazon is actually committed to elevating the conversation — instead of dragging it into another recycled GOAT debate — then, yeah, he’s listening.