As the NBA season kicks off, Pat McAfee is facing a surprising challenge: finding a regular NBA analyst for his show. The sports commentator and former NFL punter took to social media on Wednesday to vent his frustration over his struggle to secure a basketball expert for NBA coverage, noting the unusual difficulty of sourcing talent from ESPN, where his show is licensed.
On X, McAfee shared his desire for a knowledgeable NBA voice to join the program occasionally, clarifying that he doesn’t need a full-time presence but rather someone available for periodic FaceTime segments. “I need an NBA expert(s) for the program… not every day… just someone to FaceTime periodically through the season,” McAfee wrote, adding, “I will pay, because I pay everybody for their contributions to our show.”
McAfee expressed his surprise and disappointment with ESPN, pointing out that despite the licensing arrangement, working with ESPN’s NBA team has been challenging. “Obviously… when licensing our show through ESPN, we thought it’d be easy to get NBA folks from the ESPN roster,” McAfee continued. “That has not been the case… The @ESPNNBA crew has been rather impossible to work with due to their daily scheduling during season… afternoons are TOUGH for the entire group.”
Taking matters into his own hands, McAfee turned to his fans, asking them to suggest former NBA players who could bring engaging commentary and personality to the show. “Sooooo… Which ex-NBA players do you think would be a great representative of the Association on our dumb*** show?” McAfee asked.
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Fans quickly responded, suggesting a mix of fan favorites and basketball icons. “Jeff Teague suits the progrum. Has a bunch of fun stories too,” one fan recommended, while another suggested waiting “a year and get Charles Barkley.” Others threw names like Rasheed Wallace, Kwame Brown, and Gilbert Arenas into the mix, hoping for some unfiltered commentary.
Several former players also jumped into the conversation. NBA veteran Baron Davis didn’t hesitate to volunteer, replying, “Need help?! I gotcha back!”
McAfee previously hosted ESPN personalities like Kendrick Perkins and Austin Rivers, but they seem to have moved on from regular appearances.
Despite the challenges, McAfee’s strong following and reputation in sports media suggest he’ll find a worthy replacement soon—though fans will have to wait and see who ultimately joins the lineup for this NBA season.
