Top 10 NBA Players Who Became NBA Analysts

Former NBA Player Sports Broadcasters

When the NBA announced its 75th Anniversary Team, there was a lot of debate on who should and shouldn't have made the list. When it comes to top-something lists, the debates often get heated, and we have our dear NBA analysts to thank for the provoking conversations and the what-ifs. It’s great to see that there are NBA players who manage to find a new career after retiring.

We've seen players like JJ Redick sign with ESPN to be one of their NBA analysts. It doesn’t get bigger than that when you’re a retired pro athlete looking to become a sports broadcaster. As a basketball player, Redick was one of the best shooters of his era, and he could easily make the top 25 list of all-time greatest shooters. As great as he was as a player, the same could be said about his broadcasting skills, as heard on his podcast The Old Man and the Three along with Tommy Alter.

Aside from Redick’s broadcaster-quality voice, his inside knowledge of the NBA and the inner struggles of a professional athlete (especially one that had a very long career) makes him a perfect analyst. The list that follows is not a definitive ranking of the 10 best analysts of all time. It is a simple assessment of both their value as an athlete and talent as basketball analysts.

10 NBA Stars That Became Broadcasters

1. Charles Barkley
2. Bill Walton
3. Mark Jackson
4. Magic Johnson
5. Grant Hill
6. Tracy McGrady
7. Reggie Miller
8. Chris Webber
9. Steve Smith
10. Greg Anthony

10. Greg Anthony

• Playing Career: 1991–2002
• Broadcasting Debut: 2002
• Player Grade: C+
• Analyst Grade: B

Let’s start off with a relatively unknown figure on this list. As a professional basketball player, Greg Anthony only had one season where he averaged at least 30 minutes of playing time. He was more of a role player during his career. That same season was also the only time he averaged double figures in scoring. Because of this, it wasn’t too hard for me to grade him a C+.

As an analyst though, you could argue that he has fared better. He has been a regular face in many of the top broadcasting brands like ESPN, ABC, CBS, and YES. You know you’ve made a name for yourself as a commentator when you get featured in NBA video games. Anthony has been featured in the NBA 2K series since NBA 2K16.

9. Steve Smith

• Playing Career: 1991–2005
• Accolades: NBA champion, All-Star, and All-Rookie First Team selection
• Broadcasting Debut: 2006
• Player Grade: B
• Analyst Grade: B

Steve Smith may not be very well-known for his NBA career, although he did make the All-Star team in 1998 and had a solid 14-year career. While you could easily remember Smith as a member of the Atlanta Hawks, he was a well-traveled player that made stops at six different teams. If you ask me, his playstyle would probably fit better in today’s game than in the 90s and early 2000s. He was considered a prolific three-point shooter during his time (although he would be considered just a little above average by today’s standards).

As a basketball analyst, he has been a mainstay for NBA TV and Turner Sports. He started his broadcasting career by calling Atlanta Hawks games in 2006. The unfortunate thing about Smith is that his name sounds pretty close to the other popular ESPN NBA analyst, Stephen A. Smith. I’m only realizing now why it was so important for the latter’s screen name to emphasize the A as a middle name.

8. Chris Webber

• Playing Career: 1993–2008
• Accolades: Five-time All-Star, All-NBA First Team selection three-time All-NBA Second Team selection, All-NBA Third Team selection, Rookie of the Year, All-Rookie First Team selection, and Hall of Fame inductee
• Broadcasting Debut: 2008
• Player Grade: B+
• Analyst Grade: B+

It seems like most of Chris Webber’s life – from college, to the pros, to retirement – has revolved around basketball. He had a terrific NCAA career, and he had a professional career that, had luck been on his side, could have been one filled with championships and possibly MVP awards. His NBA career was off to a typical All-Star start, but it was derailed by injuries and misfortune.

His post-NBA career as an analyst has showcased his talent as a play-by-play commentator. He has worked as an analyst on NBA TV and TNT. Between 2008 and 2021, he was a frequent guest on Inside the NBA. His broadcasting career seems to be on hold since he left TNT in 2021. He has kept busy with other business ventures.

7. Reggie Miller

• Playing Career: 1987–2005
• Accolades: Five-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA Third Team selection, and Hall of Fame inductee
• Broadcasting Debut: 2005
• Player Grade: A
• Analyst Grade: A

Reggie Miller’s pleasant surprise at the announcement that he made the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team was so genuine. His placement on the list deserved applause from fans who knew him as a player and for those who have heard his voice during NBA games.

If you ask me, if the NBA made an All-75 list 10 years ago, I don’t think Miller would have made the list. But because of how the game has changed, with three-point shots raining from everywhere, and the emergence of players who make an art out of moving without the ball, I’m not surprised at all to see him selected alongside 74 other legendary names.

The predecessor to both Ray Allen and Steph Curry, Miller was the anomaly of his time rather than the constant in every team today. He ran all around the halfcourt and fought through screens, all to shoot a lethal three-pointer. As an NBA analyst and commentator, it’s hard not to recognize Miller’s voice on air. ‘Click, click, welcome to your Kodak moment’ has sort of been his catchphrase in games, especially when there’s a poster dunk.

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Like Mark Jackson, Miller could end up becoming one of the most recognizable personalities among NBA analysts of all time, possibly overshadowing his own NBA career despite how great it was.

6. Tracy McGrady

• Playing Career: 1997–2013
• Accolades: Seven-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA First Team selection, three-time All-NBA Second Team selection, two-time All-NBA Third Team selection, Most Improved Player, and Hall of Fame inductee
• Broadcasting Debut: 2016
• Player Grade: A
• Analyst Grade: B+

While not making the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team, Tracy McGrady is by and large an all-time great; he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017. A two-time scoring champion and seven-time All-Star during his playing days, it's only the lack of postseason success and a championship ring that separates T-Mac from the rest of the greats.

McGrady made a seamless transition to NBA analyst, which was surprising to some fans. I was unaware of his interest of being a commentator or analyst during his playing days. But with his storied career, it’s not surprising that he would easily shift to becoming a sports TV personality. He provides no-nonsense takes and calls it as he sees it.

Want to know more about the iconic T-Mac? Check out this in-depth biography written by Clayton Geoffreys. Did T-Mac like playing with his superstar cousin, Vince Carter? Discover unique insights when you read this book.

As for me, what I like about T-Mac as an analyst is that he appreciates how the game has evolved. Unlike some former NBA stars, he never puts shade on today’s players so as to grab attention. He doesn’t make outrageous claims like "The players today couldn’t survive in [his] era," because he knows that the game progresses. He isn't a stuck-up retiree who thinks that the golden days of the NBA are long past.

5. Grant Hill

• Playing Career: 1994–2013
• Accolades: Seven-time All-Star, All-NBA First Team selection, four-time All-NBA Second Team selection, Co-Rookie of the Year, All-Rookie First Team selection, and Hall of Fame inductee
• Broadcasting Debut: 2013
• Player Grade: B+
• Analyst Grade: A

Like Chris Webber, Grant Hill had a typical All-Star’s trajectory when his career began – he made the All-Star team in his rookie season and was already drawing Michael Jordan comparisons due to his size, versatility, skill, and athleticism. And he came into the NBA during the time Jordan was still out due to his first retirement – partially filling a fandom void the NBA was struggling to address when their biggest star left.

Like Webber, Hill's rise to stardom was unfortunately short-lived as injuries kept him out for most of any season. He hardly ever played more than half of the regular season’s games after he suffered his first major injury. That said, when Hill transitioned into television and broadcasting, he was a great fit to run the studio. He was a deserving successor to Ahmad Rashad as showrunner of NBA Inside Stuff. Like his basketball talent, his talent as both an analyst and TV personality was natural, and his transition to a broadcasting career was seamless.

4. Magic Johnson

• Playing Career: 1979–1991, 1996
• Accolades: Five-time NBA champion, three-time Finals MVP, three-time NBA MVP, 12-time All-Star, two-time All-Star Game MVP, nine-time All-NBA First Team selection, All-NBA Second Team selection, All-Rookie Team selection, and two-time Hall of Fame inductee
• Broadcasting Debut: 2003
• Player Grade: A+
• Analyst Grade: A-

Earvin Magic Johnson’s career as a basketball player is self-explanatory. He is the undisputed greatest point guard in NBA history (unless you count LeBron as a point guard), an all-time leader in assists and triple-doubles, a three-time regular season MVP, three-time Finals MVP, and five-time NBA champion. He has only missed one All-Star appearance in his 12 seasons with the Lakers. He’s on the first ballot for any all-time great NBA players list.

His transition to NBA analyst was not surprising at all, though these days he’s not as frequently seen as he was earlier post-retirement. As an analyst, he’s not necessarily a constant figure. However, his positive attitude and takes are rare for today’s types of NBA player critics. Unlike some old retired heads who focus their critique on saying trash like, ‘If he played in my era, he wouldn’t be able to guard me,’ Magic instead focuses his analysis on how the game has grown. His proclamation of Kobe Bryant being the greatest Laker of all time just shows how he’s not insecure for what he was able to achieve despite a relatively shorter career than most legends.

3. Mark Jackson

• Playing Career: 1987–2004
• Accolades: All-Star, Rookie of the Year, and All-Rookie First Team selection
• Broadcasting Debut: 2005
• Player Grade: B+
• Analyst Grade: A+

‘Mama there goes that man.’ Mark Jackson fits perfectly with his co-commentators Jeff Van Gundy and Mike Breen. But what many of today’s generation of fans may not know is that Jackson is one of the NBA’s greatest point guards. Because of the immense talent that we've seen over the years following Marc’s retirement, it’s easy to overlook a player who once trailed only John Stockton in total career assists.

Jackson was eventually overtaken by Steve Nash and Jason Kidd in the 2010s. All three of these great point guards have coached an NBA team. However, what sets Jackson apart is that he has easily established himself as one of the most memorable analysts on TV. He will likely be remembered more for his broadcasting career than his playing career.

2. Bill Walton

• Playing Career: 1974–1988
• Accolades: Two-time NBA champion, Finals MVP, NBA MVP, two-time All-Star, All-NBA First Team selection, All-NBA Second Team selection, two-time All-Defensive First Team selection, Sixth Man of the Year, and Hall of Fame inductee
• Broadcasting Debut: 1990
• Player Grade: A+
• Analyst Grade: A

While a relatively unknown player in today’s generation, a quick history lesson will tell any casual fan that Bill Walton had a Hall of Fame career. A champion with both the Portland Trailblazers and the Boston Celtics, Walton was a prototype for the skilled centers we have in today’s game like Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid.

Walton could easily fit in today’s game due to his versatility and passing skills. As an analyst, Walton’s voice is unmistakable on ESPN, and he’s one of the few who can boast of winning an Emmy while being a former NBA champion and MVP.

1. Charles Barkley

• Playing Career: 1984–2000
• Accolades: NBA MVP, 11-time All-Star, All-Star Game MVP, five-time All-NBA First Team selection, five-time All-NBA Second Team selection, All-NBA Third Team selection, All-Rookie First Team selection, and two-time Hall of Fame inductee
• Broadcasting Debut: 2000
• Player Grade: A+
• Analyst Grade: A+

Charles Barkley has had stellar careers as an NBA player, during which he was one of Michael Jordan's primary rivals, and an NBA analyst. While it’s easy to overlook the Chuckster’s achievements as a player because he never won an NBA championship, making both the 50 Greatest Players and the 75th Anniversary Team is a testament to how spectacular he was as an athlete.

For his next chapter post-retirement, there was no better way for Barkley to transition his passion and expertise for the game than to become an NBA analyst. As a regular on one of the best and longest-running sports shows, Inside the NBA, it’s difficult to imagine a world where NBA on TNT doesn’t feature Barkley on its roster.

But how did the Chuckster go from NBA superstar to renowned analyst? Barkley's recent biography provides an in-depth narrative from his early childhood to his career as a sportscaster.

Those who follow Inside the NBA know just how well Barkley knows the game and its players. He’s not an analytics genius, but his takes on locker-room dynamics and team situations make him a top-tier NBA analyst.

Honorable Mentions

There you have it for my personal assessment of the top 10 NBA players who made a successful transitions to broadcasting careers. However, I’d like to point out a few honorable mentions.

• Walt Frazier – The Hall of Fame point guard is the voice of the New York Knicks.
• Kenny Smith – Charles Barkley’s longtime co-host of Inside the NBA and two-time champion with the Houston Rockets.

As great as professional sports journalists are in breaking the game down (Mike Breen, Stephen A. Smith, Colin Cowherd, etc.), there’s a perspective that only NBA players can provide – because they’ve lived the NBA life. What goes on inside a locker room, the struggles of being a journeyman athlete looking for the next contract, the pressure to bounce back from injury – these are things that non-athletes can only provide secondhand.

Former NBA players who became analysts afterwards are a rich source of NBA stories – especially those that happen off the court. It’s one of the reasons why JJ Redick’s The Old Man and the Three is my favorite NBA podcast. I can listen to it all day.