The work of a reporter is to craft the art of the story. Sports are filled with all sorts of different storylines, from matchups and injuries to business transactions. The role of the sports reporter is to guide fans through the day-to-day of their favorite leagues, players, and teams. Brian Windhorst’s journey covering the NBA began more than two decades ago as a beat reporter covering the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Akron Beacon Journal.
The evening of May 22, 2003, proved to be a defining moment for Windhorst as he worked to secure the full-time beat reporter role with the newspaper. It was also a moment Cleveland sports fans will never forget, when the Cavaliers secured the right to the top overall selection in the upcoming NBA Draft. Waiting in the wings was Akron, Ohio’s own LeBron James, who was expected to be picked first overall.
“I knew that was a life changing moment for me,” explained Windhorst, who had originally met James when he was 14 years old. “I knew that I would get the job, and I knew in that moment that LeBron staying in Cleveland would be huge for me.”
The beginnings of a Hall of Fame career in the NBA marked the start of Windhorst’s rise. He was quickly establishing himself as a compelling storyteller. His focus quickly became the biggest story in the league, with a worldwide personality as his subject.
Lifted By LeBron James
For James’ first seven seasons in the NBA, the stories were told largely through the words of Windhorst. Grateful for the opportunity to cover James, Windhorst agrees that his own career path is directly tied to James’ rise in the league.
“Without a doubt, we are inextricably tied,” noted Windhorst. “I recently saw an interview with Maverick Carter (LeBron James’ Business Manager). He is one hundred percent right talking about how LeBron James raises all ships. It’s a cliche, but it has happened everywhere he’s been.”
As impactful as the NBA Draft Lottery was in 2003 for both James and Windhorst, a night in July of 2010 proved to be just as consequential. When James announced he would be leaving Cleveland to take his talents to Miami, another door opened for Windhorst, as ESPN was looking for someone to cover James’ journey in South Beach.
“The night of the decision, I didn’t have any job offers yet. I didn’t want him to leave, but I knew that once I got through all the work my life was going to change again,” explained Windhorst. “I put in the work and effort to work my way up, and caught the tailwind of LeBron and rose with the ocean and am incredibly grateful and beneficial that I was able to find him and tell his story.”
As James moved to Miami, Windhorst moved to Bristol. He joined ESPN in 2010, covering the NBA with James as the face of the league. Over the past 15 years, Windhorst has expanded his presence at the network through writing, appearances on ESPN programs, podcast hosting, and his role as a full-time analyst on NBA Countdown.
Staying With ESPN
Recently, Windhorst signed a new multi-year contract extension with ESPN as the network entered a new media rights deal with the league. Earlier this summer, before the season tipped off, Windhorst’s name surfaced as a potential target for other opportunities, with NBC Sports and Prime Video launching their own NBA media deals.
“I had other offers from other partners. It was a once in a lifetime situation because there hadn’t been a new television partner since 2002,” explained Windhorst. “The truth is I began trying to align my contracts to be up at the same time as the TV deals, two contracts (six years) prior.”
He acknowledged the real possibility that TNT Sports could have extended its media rights. At the same time, NBC Sports and Prime Video might not have entered the picture at all. Although he positioned himself for that uncertainty, Windhorst ultimately chose to remain with ESPN after months of discussions.
“ESPN is very comfortable for me. Regardless of what people may believe, I have been treated very well by them. Every single day of fifteen years? No, but generally I have been treated very well,” said Windhorst. “I’m happy to be in the role with NBA Countdown. Whether I’m on for ten weeks or ten years, I’m happy to play the role as much as I can to story tell.”
Another notable addition to ESPN’s NBA coverage this season is Inside the NBA, which moved from TNT Sports to the network. The award-winning program remains a must-see destination for NBA fans and serves as a strong lead-in for the new-look NBA Countdown.
“They are such unicorns. We just sit back and watch them roll, then we do our thing. It’s two totally different staffs,” said Windhorst, who called it a blessing that ESPN secured the rights to broadcast Inside the NBA.
Windhorst says both shows are relieved to no longer compete with one another and are enjoying being teammates. While Charles Barkley has publicly joked about potentially working more at ESPN, Windhorst believes the comments are part of the act and expects viewers to see more of the Hall of Famer on television this spring.
“His trope is he’ll complain about how hard ESPN works you. Mark my words, when we get to the spring, Charles will want to do more TV,” explained Windhorst. “He’ll deny it, and that’s fine. But I’m telling you, Charles loves sports television.”
There is nothing new about former athletes entering sports media, much like Barkley did more than two decades ago. However, with the ease of entry into media today, many current and former players now participate directly in league storytelling. From game reactions to personal disputes, player-driven media has grown to unimaginable levels. This growth has made covering the league much more complex.
Windhorst has always valued the art of storytelling, but believes that despite increased access, the overall quality often falls short.
“The players are not experts in storytelling, and you often get more of a sanitized view,” noted Windhorst. “Players should try to tell the better story, which is the full story. Not what’s manicured.”
One athlete Windhorst would welcome into sports media is the same player tied to his career from the beginning. LeBron James has not officially announced his retirement and is currently playing his 23rd NBA season. While James has never discussed a media role with Windhorst, the ESPN analyst believes he would thrive in that space.
“The thing about LeBron is he’s so incredibly savvy. His ability to witness and analyze things in real time, he’d be amazing as a color commentator,” explained Windhorst. “For years I’d be in the locker room with him and he was watching a game, and it’d be like Tony Romo. He would be an elite and supreme color commentator; it would be amazing because I’ve seen it.”
Windhorst admits it’s unlikely that James would consider stepping into an analyst role. This despite his feelings it would be a giant boost for the league.
As James begins to close out his NBA career, Windhorst has no plans to follow him into retirement. He views himself as a small part of a larger group. A group that has grown alongside one of basketball’s most legendary careers
Today, Windhorst’s profile continues to rise through NBA Countdown, his Hoops Collective podcast partnership with Omaha Productions, and his recent contract extension. Having watched the NBA evolve on and off the court, he has seen many changes. He believes the league’s media landscape could once again be on the verge of change.
“I’d like to believe that storytelling is coming back, because I’m already feeling it,” notes Windhorst. “I’d like to believe that storytelling will make a full comeback. But what I’m afraid to say is that from 2020-2025, access is less and local media is less. There may be individuals who are doing great storytelling, but there’s less of it in the aggregate. That’s what I’m afraid will be the case.”
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
