ESPN Unveils New NBA Countdown Team Sans Regular Stephen A. Smith

ESPN unveiled a revamped lineup for its flagship NBA pregame show, NBA Countdown, on Tuesday, marking the end of Stephen A. Smith's regular appearances after more than two decades on the program. The network's announcement highlighted a new team led by host Malika Andrews, with analysts including senior NBA writer Brian Windhorst, former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins, and Michael Malone, the 2023 NBA champion coach of the Denver Nuggets. ESPN senior NBA insider Shams Charania will also contribute regularly. The refreshed ensemble is set to debut on Wednesday, providing pregame and halftime coverage for select NBA games throughout the season.

Smith, ESPN's highest-paid personality who signed a five-year contract worth over $100 million earlier this year, addressed the change directly on his SiriusXM show, emphasizing that it stemmed from his own negotiations rather than any network decision. "I negotiated a new deal with ESPN, a five-year deal between June of 2024 and March into April of 2025. I didn't want to be on the show," he said. "I love doing NBA Countdown, but once the countdown show is over, I got other things to do than be in studio watching a doubleheader and coming...