ESPN NBA Playoff coverage kicks off this weekend. Over 350 people work either in front or behind the cameras—a “diversity of talent” led by Black people.
David Roberts is head of the network’s event and studio production. He came to ESPN in 2004 after over 25 years of local news experience in U.S. cities like Detroit, Fresno, Calif., Baltimore, Dayton, and Atlanta in various roles, including news director. He was an ESPN V-P of production before his current duties of leading the network’s NBA and WNBA production, live events, marquee studio hosts shows such as First Take and PTI, ESPN podcast content, and ESPN digital shows. He was inducted into the NABJ Hall of Fame in 2023.
Roberts spoke to reporters on Zoom Thursday, including the MSR, and discussed ESPN’s postseason approach.
“We’re in real good shape,” declared Roberts on ESPN’s diverse lineup, including sidelined reporters Lisa Salters and Angel Gray, pregame/halftime shows host Malika Andrews, analysts Stephen A. Smith and Michael Wilbon, and play-by-play Mark Jones.
“When you look at the NBA, 70-80% African American players, [the] majority of stars African American, so it only makes sense that the kind of diversity that we represent here at ESPN are showcased, whether it’s on NBA Today, NBA Countdown and then our game telecast,” said Roberts when the MSR asked his thoughts on the diversity of behind the scenes and in front of the camera. “Not only the people you see behind or in front of the camera, [but it also] important that behind the scenes, the people who make the decisions on what you see in a particular program and various elements that might appear in a televised game have that perspective.
“The diverse perspective that’s important to make sure that the storytelling represents the audience that we serve,” continued Roberts. “All of us came from different backgrounds and we bring that background to how we operate here at this network, and it shows up in how we produce shows and how we present the information in an insightful column informative but entertaining manner.”
Earlier this week, the NBA Play-In Tournament Eastern Conference games were shown on ESPN, which will later show the NBA Eastern Conference Finals exclusively on ESPN and ABC.
Roberts also announced during Thursday’s Zoom call that Elle Duncan will host the NBA Draft Lottery “along with a strong cast of characters,” including Andraya Carter and Richard Jefferson, he noted. “I don’t have the actual release, but the fact that Elle Duncan is going to host the Draft Lottery on a unique day, which is May 12th, Mother’s Day, leading into one of our conference final games is just another opportunity to showcase the best talent, our diversity of talent, and we’re in a real good position in that area.”
Comedian Kevin Hart will host NBA Unplugged for select games, Roberts pointed out.
“Kevin works very hard,” explained Roberts. He’s right now in the middle of shooting a movie in Atlanta, but he’s committed; he’s working hard to book high-profile guests, and he’s a sports fan who knows the sport of basketball. When you have a name with the star power of Kevin Hart, that’s a good place to be in.”
This year’s playoffs are expected to produce compelling storylines, believed Roberts.
“When you have someone like Stephen A. Smith or Michael Wilbon involved in a studio show, or a Richard Jefferson or and J.J. Redick and Doris Burke and Mike Breen,” he surmised, “that type of diversity also means that there are different ways of entertaining the audience.
“It makes us all look good,” concluded Roberts. “We’re very fortunate to have the type of talent depth that we have here at ESPN.”