ESPN's NBA season ends with 2013 NBA Draft Thursday

ESPN and ESPN Radio ill provide coverage of both rounds of the 2013 NBA Draft this Thursday evening. The timetable is a little unusual in that it is only a week after the Finals have ended, compared to a few weeks to a month later. Rece Davis, Jay Bilas, Jalen Rose, Bill Simmons, Shane Battier, and Heather Cox will provide all the coverage for ESPN. On ESPN Radio Marc Kestecher, Will Perdue, Ryen Russillo, and Marc Stein are ready to report on the Draft. Below is the press release, outlining also which cities specific ESPN reporters have been assigned to for the Draft.

ESPN to Televise 2013 NBA Draft

New Main Set: Rece Davis, Jay Bilas, Jalen Rose & Bill Simmons

Miami Heat’s Shane Battier To Conduct Draftee Interviews

Reporters On Location In Top Four Draft Markets

ESPN will televise the 2013 NBA Draft presented by State Farm on Thursday, June 27, at 7:30 p.m. ET. It will mark the 11th consecutive year ESPN has televised the Draft and the first time the event has emanated from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Thursday’s Draft coverage will begin with the NBA Draft Preview Show at 7 p.m. on ESPN and WatchESPN. The 67th annual NBA Draft is also available on ESPN Radio and WatchESPN.

ESPN’s deep roster of basketball commentators will be on full display during the NBA Draft, offering extensive news and a wide variety of perspectives and opinions. ESPN College GameDay’s Rece Davis, Jay Bilas and Jalen Rose will be joined by Jalen’s Kia NBA Countdown colleague Bill Simmons to form a new main commentator team. Additionally, reporter Heather Cox will handle green room interviews.

The Miami Heat’s Shane Battier – fresh off a 2013 NBA Finals victory – will join ESPN’s NBA Draft coverage. Battier will interview top Draft picks after they have been selected.

More highlights

• ESPN will have reporters on location in the four highest NBA Draft markets: Mark Schwarz in Cleveland; Josina Anderson in Orlando; Jeannine Edwards in Washington, D.C.; Shelley Smith in Minneapolis.
• ESPN college basketball reporter Andy Katz and NBA Insider Chris Broussard will provide on-site reports.

• ESPN NBA analyst Tom Penn – former NBA team executive – will provide the front office and salary cap perspective. International basketball expert Fran Fraschilla will provide insights on International players.

• ESPN will incorporate extensive statistical analysis into the telecast, including:
  • Next Level Comparative graphics of Draftees and current NBA Players;
  • Simmons and Rose will have a “Best Case/Worst Case” assessment of Top 20 players;
  • Penn will show viewers how Sabermetrics are used by current NBA general managers.

Multiplatform coverage

• ESPN Audio
  • ESPN Radio will broadcast the NBA Draft with host Marc Kestecher, analystWill Perdue and Ryen Russillo (SVP & Russillo). Additionally, ESPN.com’sMarc Stein will contribute updates on trades and other behind-the-scenes stories as the Draft continues.

• The ESPN NBA Draft podcast will be available this week, previewing Thursday’s event. Various ESPN basketball commentators are featured, including Katz, Seth Greenberg, Bruce Bowen and Israel Gutiérrez.

• ESPN.com
  • ESPN NBA Insider and Draft expert Chad Ford will have pick-by-pick analysis and NBA Draft Grades for every team;
  • Ford and Stein will provide breaking news reports.

• ESPNU will televise a daily NBA Draft special from 4:30-5:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday.

• WatchESPN on smartphones, tablets and computers, will simulcast the NBA Draft.

• ESPN will also televise an NBA Draft Preview Show on Wednesday, June 26, at 7 p.m.

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