When Amazon Prime Video acquired NFL rights in 2021, it brought on newcomers like Ryan Fitzpatrick, Richard Sherman and eventually Andrew Whitworth for the studio team. The streamer went outside the box to hire Kirk Herbstreit as its top game analyst. Aiming to make a big splash as the third entrant to a multibillion-dollar NBA and WNBA rights package this fall, Prime Video is thinking big once again.
According to multiple reports on Tuesday, Amazon is hiring Hall of Famers Dwyane Wade and Steve Nash as well as three-time WNBA champion Candace Parker (a lock to join them in Springfield soon) to their broadcast roster. Wade and Nash are expected to split time between the studio and the broadcast booth, while Parker will be in the studio for both NBA and WNBA games.
Nash, a two-time MVP and former Brooklyn Nets head coach, resurfaced for the start of the NBA playoffs with a cohosting role on Amazon-owned Wondery’s Mind the Game with LeBron James. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Nash will reunite with close friend Dirk Nowitzki at Amazon.
Both Dwyane Wade and Candace Parker began their broadcasting careers on the NBA on TNT Tuesday studio show. Per Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports, the two young Chicago-born broadcasters will team up again on Prime Video.
This trio will join the previously announced panel of Dirk Nowitzki and Blake Griffin, who are first-time broadcasters. Versatile sports reporter Taylor Rooks will anchor the studio coverage after years on the Thursday Night Football crew.
Nash and Wade will join Ian Eagle and Stan Van Gundy in the rotation for the broadcast booth as Amazon begins its package next NBA season. The streamer will air the NBA Cup in-season tournament and conference finals series in alternating seasons.
Kevin Harlan is expected to be hired as a play-by-play announcer as well.
Amazon is just getting started as a go-to live sports destination. And it is banking on highly recognizable stars to lift its NBA coverage for the next 11 years and beyond.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.