ESPN this season has had a new "NBA Countdown" cast in an effort to "right the ship and offer a bit of consistency," according to Rob Tornoe of the PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER. ESPN's Mike Wilbon is part of the "newly revamped" show that was "overhauled during the off-season." ESPN assembled a team of "heavyweight personalities" that includes Wilbon, Mike Greenberg, Stephen A. Smith and Jalen Rose. Basketball HOFer Magic Johnson also is "slated to join 'NBA Countdown' at some point this season." Wilbon said, "There's one agenda. Let's have the best conversation we can have in whatever time we're allotted. Basketball sounds different, it is different to people who play it, and our show should reflect that. All too often on various networks, including ours, haven't done that." Tornoe noted the show "certainly flows easier with Greenberg as host." Wilbon said, "Greeny understands how to move the traffic, how to get us engaged, and he understands what makes each of us trick because he's worked with everyone." Tornoe noted fairly or unfairly, every NBA studio show "gets compared to TNT's acclaimed 'Inside the NBA.'" But Wilbon said, "Nobody's going to be Charles [Barkley]. There's one Charles" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 12/12).
ESPN's new "NBA Countdown" cast finds footing early in season
