Yet another alternate broadcast is coming to ESPN’s networks. This time, the NBA is getting the treatment.
Per a Tuesday release from ESPN, Unplugged with Kevin Hart will debut on Saturday, December 9 for the final of the NBA In-Season Tournament. The main broadcast will take place on ABC at 8:30 p.m. ET, with Unplugged airing on ESPN2.
Unplugged comes from ESPN, Hartbeat, and Omaha Productions, and will feature Hart and the Plastic Cup Boyz (Joey Wells, Will Horton, and Na’im Lynn) joined by various guests. Unplugged “will capture the authentic way Kevin Hart and his friends watch the NBA with lively discussion, debate and banter.”
Seven editions of Unplugged are scheduled to take place this season. Following the debut on December 9, the only other announced editions include Knicks-76ers on Friday, January 5, and Mavericks-Heat on Wednesday, April 10.
This isn’t Hartbeat’s first venture into sports content. Hart’s interview series Cold As Balls has run for nine seasons, and he and Snoop Dogg starred in an Olympic Highlights show during NBC’s Olympics coverage.
Warner Bros. Discovery Sports also has rolled out an alternate broadcast this week to cover the NBA In-Season Tournament. The NBA on TNT BetCast features Jordan Cornette, Tim Doyle, and Chandler Parsons, airing on truTV and Max this week.
Launching an alternate broadcast for NBA games makes plenty of sense for ESPN, and given his NBA fandom, Hart seems like an ideal choice to star in an alternate broadcast.
[ESPN]
About Joe Lucia
I hate your favorite team. I also sort of hate most of my favorite teams.